Centers For Disease Control And Prevention Announce Reported Syphilis Infection Rates Rise Among Minority Gay And Bisexual Men

Reuters reports that the rising United States syphilis rate appears to be disproportionately striking minority gay and bisexual men, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported Monday. Syphilis is a sexually transmitted bacterial infection that can be easily cured with antibiotics in the early stages. But many people do not have symptoms early on, or don't recognize the symptoms, and continue to transmit the infection. In the U.S., syphilis has been on the rise since 2000, when the national rate hit an all-time low of 2.1 cases per 100,000 people. That increase has been largely among men, who had a rate of just under 8 cases per 100,000 in 2009, compared to 1.4 cases per 100,000 women, according to the CDC. And studies have suggested that gay and bisexual men now account for a majority of new syphilis cases. Health officials are concerned about the resurgence not only because of syphilis itself, but also because the infection makes people more vulnerable to contracting HIV, the virus that causes AIDS. Now the new findings, reported in the Annals of Internal Medicine, show that minorities -- and young men, in particular -- are being hit hardest by syphilis. Using data from 27 states, CDC researchers found that between 2005 and 2008, the syphilis rate among black gay and bisexual men rose at an 8-times faster clip compared with their white counterparts. Hispanic gay and bisexual men, meanwhile, had more than twice the increase of white men. The CDC says there has also been a shift in the age group most affected by syphilis. Ten years ago, outbreaks of the STD were largely reported among gay and bisexual men in their 30s, but since 2005, teenagers and men in their 20s have shown the biggest increase in syphilis cases. And 20 to 29-year-olds had the highest rates in 2008 -- at around 12 cases per 100,000. Racial disparities in syphilis and other STDs have long been seen among U.S. men in general. So the current findings are not especially surprising, but the magnitude of the racial gap in this study is concerning, said lead researcher Dr. John R. Su, a medical epidemiologist at the CDC. He said that although it is difficult to determine the exact reasons, it could reflect factors like lower incomes and education levels, and poorer access to healthcare -- in other words, some of the same race-related disparities seen among Americans in general. As for young gay and bisexual men, some recent studies suggest that they are increasingly engaging in risky sex, including having unprotected intercourse and multiple partners. The bottom line for gay and bisexual men is awareness, according to Su. "First, you have to know you're at risk," he said. "Then have a frank discussion about it with your healthcare provider."