(NEXSTAR) – Health officials around the country are sounding the alarm: Syphilis cases are spiking.
New York has seen the number of syphilis cases increase five-fold since 2013, Nexstar’s WIVT/WGBH reports, and the state isn’t alone. Compared to about a decade ago, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said congenital syphilis cases are 700% higher nationwide.
Syphilis is a sexually transmitted disease; it’s considered congenital when it’s passed from mother to baby during pregnancy. It can cause miscarriage, stillbirth or death after birth. Babies may also be born with deformed bones or organs…