By NewsDesk  @bactiman63

Health authorities in Brazil are reporting the highest number of syphilis cases since 2010, according to a Folha De S. Paulo report.

syphilis
Image/CDC

There were 158,000 cases of primary and secondary (P&S) syphilis syphilis, or 75.8 cases per 100,000 inhabitants in 2018. This is up from 59.1 cases per 100,000 in 2017.

Health officials are attributing this rising incidence to greater detection and decreased condom use, especially among people with multiple sexual partners. In addition, problems in the supply of penicillin in recent years also helped to boost the disease in different countries.

Syphilis is a sexually-transmitted disease (STD) that can cause long-term complications if not treated correctly. Symptoms of syphilis in adults include a painless sore that will go away without treatment followed by a non-itchy body rash. If left untreated syphilis can lead to damage through the body including neurological and cardiovascular complications. Syphilis also increases the risk of HIV infection and, for women, can cause problems during pregnancy and for the newborn.