Opinion: Stigma and the return of syphilis
Syphilis, one of the oldest infections known to humans, has returned to the U.S. at epidemic rates that have been climbing since 2001. In 2022, the last year with complete data, the highest number of infections were recorded in more than 70 years. It’s not yet clear why syphilis is spreading faster than other sexually transmitted infections. Recent shortages of single injection penicillin needed to treat this infection threatens to make matters worse.
Stemming the return of syphilis will take more than manufacturing more penicillin. It will require counteracting stigma, a longstanding problem that has resulted in critical failures in health care access and delivery. The stigma of syphilis is strikingly powerful, even compared to other historically stigmatized conditions like HIV and cancer. While stigma isn’t the single cause driving the surge of syphilis, failing to address it will only worsen the epidemic. Addressing it means receiving supportive care in a health system that offers easy, equitable, and nonjudgmental access to treatment.
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