Ancient STI sees 1,000% surge among newborns in just 6 years in alarming study
The number of babies being born with the ancient STI syphilis has gone up by 1,000 per cent in the US state of Mississippi.
A new report found that babies being born with congenital syphilis rose from 10 to 110 between 2016 and 2022.
The study from the John D. Bower School of Population Health at University of Mississippi Medical Center covered hospital discharge data from Mississippi State Department of Health and the Mississippi Hospital Association. Between 2016 and 2022, 367 children were hospitalised with a diagnosis of syphilis.
Congenital syphilis (CS) is a disease that occurs when a mother with syphilis passes the infection on to her baby during , according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
The grim disease has blighted humanity for millenia causing horrific deformities and untold suffering.
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A 3D illustration of a syphilis pathogen (Getty Images/Science Photo Library RF)For most of the children, the fact they had the grim disease was realised at birth and were admitted straight into hospital post-delivery. The report also found the majority of children were African American with 71.1 per cent of all infants compared to 25.1 per cent of infants being white.
Being covered by Medicaid and being older than 3 days old, were two characteristics noted that put an infant more at risk for congenital syphilis. Low-income families and individuals receiving Supplemental Security Income are just some of the groups qualifying for Medicaid. Illegal drug use by the mum was also an important indicator.
Data from the CDC shows the nationwide rate of congenital syphilis increased by 30.5 per cent in one year, from 59.7/100,000 live births in 2020 to 77.9/100,000 live births in 2021. In some states, such as Mississippi, the rate increased all the more dramatically.
In the state in the Deep South, cases rose from 104.3/100,000 live births in 2020 to 182.0/100,000 live births in 2021, a 74.5 per cent jump in a single year.Nationwide more than 2,000 cases of congenital syphilis were reported in 2021 alone, which is the highest number reported in one year since 1994, the CDC said.
Tests found many of the babies were born with the disease (Getty Images)CS can have major health impacts on the delivery including misscarriage, stillbirth, premature birth or death shortly after birth. If the baby is successfully born it can still cause deformed bones, severe anaemia (low blood count), enlarged liver and spleen, jaundice (yellowing of the skin or eyes), brain and nerve problems, like blindness or deafness, , and rashes.
According to the report: "For this study, we examined trends, demographics, risk factors, coexisting conditions, and outcomes among infants in Mississippi hospitalised with a CS diagnosis. We aimed to better understand this emerging public health crisis in a state that continues to experience deep social and health inequities."
The study found babies were more likely to suffer from severe complications including prematurity - 27 per cent among babies with the disease compared to 12.7 per cent for those without. Low birthweight was also a problem - 17.9 per cent compared to 9.7 per cent for those without.
The authors wrote: "Although the upward trend was consistent with national-level surveillance data for CS, the upturn in Mississippi was even steeper. This spike is troubling because decades of research have demonstrated the dire health consequences of CS, including prematurity, low birthweight, and death."
They also called on comprehensive public health policies to be brought in including more access to prenatal care and health care providers being taught about the need to ensure early diagnosis and treatment of syphilis during pregnancy.
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