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Syphilis
Rise Worries Health Workers |
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With
syphilis
rates rising, officials of the San Antonio Metropolitan Health District (MHD)
have redoubled efforts to contact partners of those who test positive for
the STD. Outreach workers are encouraging safe-sex practices, and they are
offering testing and counseling in bars, drug hangouts, and the jail.
"A disturbing trend is that many of our [syphilis] cases we're seeing here
and also nationwide are amongst coinfected people - people who are also
HIV-positive,"
said Scott Salo, who oversees outreach programs for the health district.
"That's disturbing because they're putting people at risk for HIV as well as
syphilis."
In April, CDC reported that most of the nationwide increase in syphilis
involves gay men, who made up nearly two-thirds of cases in 2003. The rate
of the two most infectious types of syphilis rose by 70 percent between 2001
and 2005. The rate among men is currently six times higher than among women,
roughly mirroring statistics from ten years ago.
"The reversal in syphilis trends in recent years is a significant public
health concern," said CDC spokesperson Jennifer Ruth, citing the risk of
HIV's spread.
In Bexar County, syphilis cases reached their lowest point in 2003, three
years after the rest of the country. Between 2003 and 2006, the number of
local cases rose from 217 to 438. Syphilis among teenagers doubled between
2004 and 2006, from 19 to 39 cases. In 2006, nine cases were children 14 and
younger.
George Perez, an MHD counselor, has been offering behavior-modification
sessions teaching safe-sex practices in bars, community centers, and church
meeting halls. Recently, San Antonio learned that its $250,000 state grant
for HIV prevention will not be renewed, with funds going instead to
nonprofit community organizations that do HIV outreach.
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San Antonio Express
News (06.12.07):: Don Finley |
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We are providing the above information as a public
service only. Providing synopses of key scientific articles and lay
media reports on HIV/AIDS, other sexually transmitted diseases
does not constitute endorsement. The above summaries were prepared
without conducting any additional research or investigation into the
facts and statements made in the articles being summarized, and
therefore readers are expressly cautioned against relying on the
validity or invalidity of any statements made in these summaries. This
CDC HIV/STD/TB Prevention News
Update also includes information from CDC and
other government agencies, such as background on MMWR articles, fact
sheets and announcements. |
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