Epidemiology and Demographics of Syphilis

Recent trends indicate a concerning rise in the rates of primary and secondary syphilis cases in the United States, with an estimated 9.5 cases per 100,000 population reported in 2017. A significant portion, about 3.5%, of these cases develops into neurosyphilis. Demographically, males account for a large majority of cases, constituting around 86% in 2018, while the rates for females have doubled from 2014 to 2018. Moreover, a notable co-infection with HIV occurs in approximately 42% of syphilis cases, highlighting the need for comprehensive evaluations for both infections in the clinical setting.