Syphilis Cases on the Rise in Beaumont, Texas

The Beaumont Health Department recently announced that the rate of syphilis infections in the area is rising at an alarming rate. Documented cases of the sexually transmitted disease for 2008 are double the number of cases the health department saw in 2007. The department reports a 225 cases for 2008, up from 109 for 2007. The skyrocketing infection rate first became evident in early 2007 when reports of documented syphilis cases rose from just eleven cases in 2006 to a whopping 109 cases for 2007.

Syphilis is caused by the bacterium Treponema pallidum and its symptoms can mimic those of other diseases.

According to the Center For Disease Control, Syphilis is spread between people through contact with open sores caused by the disease. These sores are mainly found on the external genitalia and rectum, but can sometimes also be found in the mouth and on the lips. Syphilis can only be contracted through sexual contact or passed from mother to unborn child. It cannot be contracted by touching areas of public access such as doorknobs, payphones, or toilet seats.

People can be carriers of syphilis for years and never have any sores. There is a dormant period between the three phases of the diseases, once the sores and rashes heal, that gives the false appearance that nothing is wrong. A common misconception about syphilis is that you have to be experiencing symptoms to be infected or contagious. This isn't so.

Syphilis initially appears as an open sore at the site where the infection first entered the body. It appears approximately twenty one days after exposure. The sores wax and wane and, without treatment, the diseases progresses to the second stage. The second stage is noted by a rough red or brown rash. Most often, the rash appears on the hands and feet, but it can appear on any part of the body. Generally, it doesn't itch and can imitate other rashes not associated with syphilis. Advanced stage two syphilis is noted by flu-like symptoms and sometimes hair loss. The late stage of the disease is when most no other symptoms of the illness are present, but internal damage is already done and can lead to organ failure, blindness, paralysis, and even death.

A pregnant woman who is infected with syphilis can pass the infection onto her unborn child, resulting in a stillborn child or a child who dies shortly after it's born. Babies don't always display symptoms of the infection, just like adults. But they must receive treatment immediately due to the likelihood of complications arising later than could result in mental retardation, seizures, or death.

People who are infected with syphilis are more susceptible to contracting HIV because of the open sores that are present on the body that disrupt the body's natural barriers to keep infections at bay. Additionally, using a condom during intercourse cannot prevent syphilis entirely because the sores can appear on parts of the body that are not covered by or protected by the condom. The only certain prevention of contracting syphilis is to refrain from engaging in sexual activity.

Detection of the disease comes from either blood work or examining cultures taken from sores under a microscope. Treatment is simple - one injection of penicillin will cure a person of the infection if they've had it less than one year. More injections may be required for people who have been infected longer. While syphilis itself is extremely easy to treat, the treatment will not and cannot undo the damage already caused by the disease in cases where infection was undetected for a number of years.

People who are sexually active and are not in a monogamous relationship where their partner's sexual history is known - even if they aren't experiencing any symptoms if infection - are urged to be tested.

The Beaumont Health Department has an STD clinic that offers testing for a $10 fee, but the clinic works on a sliding scale based on income to determine the exact cost, which may be less.. The clinic's hours are Monday through Friday from 8am until 4pm. Appointments are recommended, but not required. The department is located on Washington Boulevard in Beaumont, Texas. Interested parties who wish to request more information may do so by contacting the department directly at 409-832-4000.