Koochiching County public health director also concerned about county’s rates of chlamydia and gonorrhea

Health officials are expressing concern over the recent rise in syphilis cases in Minnesota.

Locally, Koochiching County Public Health Director Susan Congrave is also concerned about the rise in not only syphilis, but the overall increase in cases of all sexually transmitted infections. She noted that Koochiching County has also seen a significant increase in the cases of chlamydia and gonorrhea.

Minnesota law requires doctors, health care facilities and medical laboratories to report all confirmed cases of chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis and chancroid to MDH.

In 2008, early syphilis cases, or infection of less than one year, were up 40 percent compared to 2007, according to the Minnesota Department of Health. In 2008, 159 cases were reported compared to 114 cases in 2007, according to MDH data. Early syphilis is the most infectious stage of the disease, causing MDH officials to considers the stage to be the greatest concern to public health.

Of those 159 cases, 97 percent were among males. New infections were also centered within the Twin Cities metropolitan area, according to the MDH.

Although syphilis is rare among Minnesotans, the largest increase in new cases was among young men. MDH data shows that 82 percent of early cases in 2008 were among men who have sex with men.

“While the numbers are small now, the rate of increase raises the alarming possibility of many more people becoming infected in the coming years,” said Dr. Amy Gilbert, chair of the Minnesota Medical Association’s Committee on Public Health. “Doctors haven’t seen syphilis in a long time. We need to raise our awareness and remember to look for it.”

State officials are also concerned that 40 percent of people contracting syphilis are also HIV positive.

“We know now that infected persons with syphilis can help spread or acquire HIV infection when the painless sores or chancres are present. In addition, we know that HIV infection can help acquire or spread syphilis,” said Peter Carr, of MDH’s STD and HIV Section. “Plus there is a greater potential for disease progression and treatment failures when someone with HIV gets syphilis.”

Syphilis is spread through direct contact with a painless sore called a chancre during unprotected sex, according to MDH. The most common risk factors reported were meeting partners on the Internet, anonymous sex and no condom use, according to MDH. Congrave noted that an STD can be spread unknowingly by someone who contracted a disease, but hasn’t been tested and treated for it before engaging in sex.

Preventive measures, including not having sex with multiple partners and using a condom, can be taken to prevent the spread of an STD, according to Congrave. She also suggested that those who are sexually active with multiple partners should be tested annually for STD’s.

Congrave is especially concerned about the rise in chlamydia and gonorrhea in the county.

She noted that STD’s can lead to infertility, pelvic inflammatory disease in women, sterilization in men, reactive arthritis and a urinary tract infection.

Through a women’s health grant, the International Falls Family Planning Clinic recently began offering free testing , which is done with a urine test, and treatment for chlamydia and gonorrhea, she said. Testing can also be done at a person’s primary care provider, including at the Duluth Clinic-International Falls.

For more information, contact the state’s STD hotline, 1-800-78FACTS.