Once considered a rare infectious disease, syphilis is on the rise across the country and in Colorado, where health officials are taking action to stem the spike in cases. From 2018 to 2023, Colorado saw a seven-fold increase in congenital syphilis cases, soaring from seven in 2018 to 50 last year.
In the first 3 1/2 months of this year, the state had 25 reported cases of congenital syphilis, including five stillbirths and two neonatal deaths. In April, the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment issued a public health order declaring congenital syphilis an epidemic and requiring medical providers to test for syphilis at different stages during pregnancy.
‘For any disease – but especially for something like syphilis, which can masquerade as different things – lack of access adds to that level of lack of detection.’
– Michelle Barron, MD
Meanwhile, the U.S. had 207,000 cases of sexually transmitted syphilis in 2022, an 80% increase since 2018 and the highest number in over 70 years.
Michelle Barron, MD, professor of medicine in the Division of Infectious Diseases at the University of Colorado School of Medicine and senior medical director of infection control and prevention at UCHealth University of Colorado Hospital, said a “perfect storm” of factors are contributing to the epidemic. In the following Q&A, Barron gives insights into the crisis and cites lack of awareness as a key driver to the spread of syphilis.