Practice Management
According to new data from the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS), maternal syphilis rates in the United States are still on the increase, part of a decade-long trend of rising cases. From 2022 through 2024, maternal syphilis rates increased 28% overall (from 280.4 cases per 100,000 births to 357.9 cases). The rate climbed 16% between 2022 and 2023 and an additional 10% from 2023 to 2024. Looking at the long-term trend, previous data showed …
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A new over-the-counter syphilis antibody test has received marketing authorization from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Branded as First To Know, the at-home screening test requires just a drop of blood and provides results within about 15 minutes, offering an early indication of a possible syphilis infection. However, any positive result must be further confirmed with laboratory testing. In a clinical trial involving 1,270 participants, the test accurately identified 99.5% of negative cases and …
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According to a newly released Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) report, 207,255 total syphilis cases were documented in the United States in 2022, representing a nearly 80% increase in just 5 years. Although cases hit historic lows in 2000 and 2002, the trendline has climbed steeply since. Cases in nearly every demographic group and region increased, CDC says. Even more concerning, 3,755 cases of congenital syphilis were recorded among newborns in 2022, which represents more …
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