‘Out of control’: rise in STDs, including 26% syphilis spike, sparks US alarm

The rate of syphilis cases has hit its highest in three decades as officials work on new solutions such as at-home test kits

Sharply rising cases of some sexually transmitted diseases, including a 26% rise in new syphilis infections reported last year, are prompting US health officials to call for new prevention and treatment efforts.

It is imperative that we ... work to rebuild, innovate, and expand (STD) prevention in the US," said Leandro Mena of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in a speech on Monday at a medical conference on sexually transmitted diseases.