Quick Answer
Yes. Syphilis rates in the United States and several other countries have been rising for roughly two decades, and cases of congenital syphilis - passed from mother to baby during pregnancy - have increased sharply over the past decade, according to CDC surveillance data. The climb is driven mainly by rising infections among adults of reproductive age plus gaps in prenatal testing and treatment.
- CDC surveillance shows US syphilis rates climbing steadily since around 2000.
- Congenital syphilis cases rose sharply after 2013, reversing decades of decline.
- Untreated syphilis in pregnancy can cause miscarriage, stillbirth, or severe newborn illness.
- A single penicillin injection cures early syphilis, including infection during pregnancy.
- Syphilis spreads through direct contact with a sore, usually during sex.
- Many infections cause no symptoms, so testing rather than symptoms finds them.
Context Most Pages Skip
Syphilis is caused by Treponema pallidum, a corkscrew-shaped bacterium that enters through tiny breaks in skin or mucous membranes, usually during sex. What moves case counts is mostly networks and screening, not any change in how infectious the bacterium is. Infection passes efficiently between sexual partners and from mother to fetus, and it can sit quietly in a latent stage for years while still showing up on a blood test. When testing thins out - in prenatal care, in sexual health clinics, or among people who avoid care because of stigma - infections are missed, transmission continues, and more babies are born with the disease.
Related Questions
Sources & Further Reading
- CDC — Sexually Transmitted Infections
- CDC STI Treatment Guidelines
- WHO — Sexually transmitted infections fact sheet
- MedlinePlus — Sexually Transmitted Diseases
Figures reflect CDC surveillance and WHO estimates; they are population statistics, not personal risk predictions.