The number of congenital syphilis cases in California more than tripled over the past two years, with Los Angeles County and the Central Valley responsible for the bulk of the cases, state health officials announced Monday.
The number of reported congenital syphilis cases went from 30 in 2012 to 100 last year, according to the California Department of Public Health. Syphilitic stillbirths also increased, from one case in 2012 to six cases in 2014.
Most of the congenital syphilis cases have been reported in Los Angeles County and the Central Valley, health officials said.
Health officials have not identified a cause for the increase in congenital syphilis, which is often associated with poverty and lack of access to health care. However, most of the women who gave birth to babies with congenital syphilis did not receive adequate or timely prenatal care, according to the CDPH.
“The increase in congenital syphilis is particularly concerning,” CDPH Director Dr. Karen Smith said. “Congenital syphilis occurs when syphilis is transmitted from an infected mother to her child during pregnancy. It is a needless tragedy that can be prevented with good prenatal care and timely and effective treatment.”
The state also saw more than double the number of early syphilis cases among women, with the number jumping from 248 cases in 2012 to 594 in 2014, according to the California Department of Public Health.
The increasing trend of syphilis among women appears to be continuing, according to the CDPH.
“When women do not receive proper prenatal care, they’re missing a crucial opportunity to be screened for syphilis and other sexually transmitted diseases,” Smith said. “It is vital that pregnant women get comprehensive prenatal care, including getting tested for STDs, to avoid transmitting infections to their babies.”
State health officials said they are addressing the rise of syphilis cases by working with local health departments to identify causes, reach out to infected pregnant women to make sure they and their partners are treated and intensify efforts to follow up on contacts of syphilis cases, particularly women of childbearing age.
— City News Service