What race is syphilis most common in?

Syphilis disproportionately affects Black/African American, Hispanic/Latino, and American Indian/Alaska Native populations in the U.S., with Black individuals often having the highest rates, particularly Black men who have sex with men (MSM) and Black women, alongside higher rates among AI/AN women, due to complex factors like social determinants of health, healthcare access barriers, and socioeconomic conditions.

What race is more likely to get syphilis?

Surveillance reports have shown that syphilis rates across the US population also show marked disparities by race/ethnicity, with diagnosis rates five times higher among black non-Hispanic men (39.0/100,000) compared to white non-Hispanic men (7.6/100,000) in 2015.

What STD does 90% of the population have?

The human papillomavirus (HPV) is the most common STI in the United States. There are more than 40 different strands of HPV and many do not cause any health problems. In 90% of cases, the body's immune system clears the infection naturally within two years.

What is the #1 STD in the US?

Of the STDs tracked by the CDC, chlamydia makes up the largest proportion of cases in the US, with over 1.6 million cases (496 cases per 100,000 people) reported to the CDC in 2021.

What is the deadliest STD in the United States?

Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) This is one of the most well-known and deadly STDs. It attacks the body's immune system, specifically targeting CD4 cells, which are essential for fighting infections.

Doctor explains the Symptoms and Stages of SYPHILIS (STI)

What's the easiest STD to catch?

The easiest STD to catch is Human Papillomavirus (HPV), as it's the most common STI, spreads easily through skin-to-skin contact (even without intercourse), often has no symptoms, and can be transmitted during vaginal, anal, or oral sex, with many types cleared by the immune system but others leading to warts or cancer. Other highly transmissible STDs include Herpes and Chlamydia, especially through skin contact or receptive anal sex. 

What is the #1 STD city in America?

There isn't one single "number 1" STD city, as rankings vary by study and year, but Detroit, MI led recent Innerbody Research studies (2025) for overall STIs in metro areas, while Memphis, TN topped earlier reports for city rates. Other cities consistently high on lists include Jackson, MS; Columbia, SC; and Philadelphia, PA, with rates often tied to specific infections like chlamydia, gonorrhea, or syphilis. 

What's the rarest STD?

The rarest STIs are often those geographically localized or caused by less common pathogens, with Donovanosis (Granuloma Inguinale) and Lymphogranuloma Venereum (LGV) frequently cited due to their rarity in developed nations, alongside emerging fungal infections like Trichophyton mentagrophytes type VII. Donovanosis causes flesh-eating-like ulcers in tropical regions, while LGV, a specific chlamydia strain, affects lymph nodes and can cause severe gastrointestinal issues. 

What STD is not curable?

The main incurable STDs are Herpes (HSV), HIV, Hepatitis B (HBV), and HPV (Human Papillomavirus), as these viral infections stay in the body for life, though medications can manage symptoms for HIV and herpes, and vaccines protect against HPV and Hepatitis B. Other common STDs like chlamydia, gonorrhea, and syphilis are bacterial or parasitic and can typically be cured with antibiotics or antiparasitics. 

Which president had syphilis?

While debated, Abraham Lincoln is the U.S. President most frequently cited as having had syphilis, based on accounts from his law partner, William Herndon, who claimed Lincoln confessed to contracting it in his youth, though modern analysis suggests other possibilities like malaria. Other presidents, like Woodrow Wilson, dealt with severe health issues, including strokes, but were generally attributed to other conditions, while some speculate about early STIs in others, but Lincoln remains a prominent example of a president linked to syphilis. 

What STD did Al Capone have?

Al Capone had syphilis, a sexually transmitted infection (STD) he likely contracted as a teenager while working in a brothel in Chicago, which eventually led to severe physical and mental decline, causing paresis and contributing to his death in 1947.
 

What did syphilis do to the nose?

The usual after-effect of congenital syphilis is the typical saddle nose depression, and this condition is not as a rule accompanied by pharyngeal scarring or syphilitic otitis media. Tertiary lesions when recognized early and treated promptly usually subside with minimum scarring and destruction.

Does syphilis smell bad?

Yes, syphilis can cause a bad smell, especially in its secondary stage where skin sores (pustules) might ooze a foul-smelling discharge, and in women, it can sometimes lead to greenish or yellowish, smelly vaginal discharge, but often syphilis has no symptoms or subtle ones, so a doctor's visit is crucial if you notice changes in odor or discharge, as other STIs like trichomoniasis (which causes very foul, sometimes bubbly discharge) are common culprits too. 

Which celebrity had syphilis?

Famous painters Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, Paul Gaugin and Edouard Manet are known to have died from syphilis as well as classic authors Oscar Wilde and Guy de Maupassant Charles Baudelaire. Infamous gangster Al Capone eventually succumbed to syphilis as well.

What gender is most likely to get syphilis?

Syphilis is more common in men than women. In 2015, of the almost 24,000 people in the United States diagnosed in the first or second stage of syphilis, more than 2,200 were women. This number has gone up since 2014. But, women with syphilis who are pregnant are at high risk for passing syphilis to their unborn babies.

What's the deadliest STD?

While many STDs are serious, HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus) is often considered the most dangerous because it attacks the immune system, leading to AIDS if untreated, making the body vulnerable to life-threatening illnesses; however, other STDs like Hepatitis B/C (liver disease) and certain HPV strains (cancer) pose significant long-term risks, and common infections like Chlamydia can cause severe reproductive damage (Pelvic Inflammatory Disease) if ignored. 

What state is #1 in STDs?

The state with the highest STD rate is Mississippi, with a rate of 1,291.4 STD cases per 100,000 state residents. The STD rates by state range from Mississippi's high of 1,291.4 to Vermont's low STD rate of 201.8 cases per 100,000 residents.

What STDs do 90% of people have?

The most common STI in the US is the human papillomavirus or HPV. At any given time, about 80% of sexually active people are estimated to be infected, including 42% of adults 18 to 59 years. Of those infected, 7% will have oral HPV, and roughly 14 million new cases of this condition are estimated to be reported yearly.

What STD is Texas known for?

Chlamydia and gonorrhea are the most common sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) in Texas and across the U.S. STDs can infect both men and women and are especially common in youth ages 15-24. STD infection often causes no symptoms.

What is the fastest growing STD in the United States?

Primary and secondary syphilis infections have seen the most dramatic increase, with total national rates at their highest since 1993. From 2014–2016, syphilis rates increased by 24.5% among adolescents aged 15–19 years and 25.4% among adolescents aged 20–24 years.

Are STDs on the rise?

Yes, sexually transmitted infections (STIs) have generally been on the rise in the U.S. and globally, reaching record highs in recent years, though recent provisional data from late 2024/early 2025 show slight declines in some common STIs like chlamydia, gonorrhea, and syphilis for the first time in years, while alarming increases in congenital syphilis continue. Factors driving the long-term increase include lack of sex education, stigma, changes in sexual behavior (like dating apps), drug use, and increased sexual activity in older adults, notes Family Health Centers of San Diego and the American Medical Association. 

What STD makes you lose weight?

Syphilis (especially in its secondary stage with fever, fatigue, and poor appetite) and HIV (as it progresses, causing night sweats, diarrhea, and fatigue) are two STDs that can cause unexplained weight loss, often alongside flu-like symptoms or other systemic issues, indicating a more advanced infection or weakened immune system. Chlamydia can also cause temporary weight loss, but it's usually minor and resolves as the infection clears.
 

How likely is STD from oral?

Yes, you can get STDs from oral sex, though the risk varies by infection; gonorrhea, herpes, HPV, syphilis, chlamydia, and HIV can all transmit through oral contact with infected fluids or sores, with risks generally lower than vaginal/anal sex but still significant, especially with cuts, sores, or lack of barrier protection like condoms or dental dams. The likelihood depends on the specific STI, the presence of symptoms, and frequency of acts, with transmission possible from mouth-to-genitals, genitals-to-mouth, or even mouth-to-mouth. 

What is the most silent STD?

Chlamydia is known as a “silent” infection because most infected people have no symptoms. If symptoms do occur, they may not appear until several weeks after exposure. Even when it causes no symptoms, chlamydia can damage a woman's reproductive organs.