KERN COUNTY, Calif. — Syphilis cases in Kern County are thirty times higher than they were twenty years ago, according to the Kern County Public Health Department.
Syphilis is a sexually transmitted infection. Division Director of Health Services Kim Hernandez said it can cause serious health problems if it’s not treated.
“Unfortunately, that bacteria is still in your body and it can cause damage to your heart, to your brain, to your nervous system [in] ten to thirty years after having infections," she said.
And it can spread from a pregnant woman to her baby before it’s born.
“It’s one of the most common causes of a late term stillbirth. [It] can [cause] a fetal demise [and] a lot of long-term consequences," said Hernandez.
She said Kern County began to see a promising drop in annual cases in 2018 but this year, cases are back up.
According to the Associated Press, cases hit 16 per 100,000 people nationwide last year. That's the highest level in three decades.
Hernandez said there are a number of reasons for this. With the pandemic, people stopped going to routine doctors appointments.
Social media and dating apps also made contact tracing harder. People go on and off the apps a lot, changing their locations and profiles frequently.
“After identifying that case, identifying the people around them and trying to get them tested and treated became much more difficult," said Hernandez.
Birth control also became more accessible so people started using other things besides condoms, which led to the increase in STDs as well.
But there is some good news.
“The really good thing [is] that we have antibiotics that are very effective at treating syphilis, regardless of what stage you're in,” said Hernandez.
Hernandez also said several Kern County emergency departments have begun testing patients for syphilis no matter what they go in for.
“Our healthcare community has really rallied around us to say, 'We’re going to find all the people who have this because we can cure it,'” she said.
If you’re sexually active and haven’t been tested, Hernandez said do so as soon as possible.
The Public Health Department can connect you with low-cost or free healthcare.
“We’re hopeful. We're still building on that change. We're rebuilding it, getting our community re-engaged, and really [making] sure we can see that trend go downward again,” said Hernandez.
The W.H.O. said reducing stigma and increasing funding can help reduce the number of STIs like syphilis worldwide.
If you’d like to learn more about local resources, click here.
