Who gets syphilis the most?

Men who have sex with men (MSM) in the United States experience an approximately 100-fold greater rate of primary and secondary (P&S) syphilis diagnoses compared to men who have sex with women only.

Who is most at risk with syphilis?

Babies born to mothers with syphilis can have deformities or be stillborn. More than 24,000 cases of syphilis were reported in 2015, an increase of 19 percent over the previous year. Young people ages 15 to 24 and homosexual men are at the greatest risk of contracting syphilis.

Who has the highest rate of syphilis?

From 2018 to 2022, reported cases rose 80% in the U.S . In 2022, cases of congenital syphilis among newborns were 10 times higher than in 2012, at 3,700 cases. Black and American Indian populations bear a disproportionate share of the burden—and women are making up a rising share of cases.

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.

Is syphilis more common in black people?

We found that nationally, syphilis diagnosis rates were 6.42 and 2.20 times higher among Black and Hispanic heterosexually active women compared with White heterosexually active women.

Doctor explains the Symptoms and Stages of SYPHILIS (STI)

What's the worst STD to get?

There isn't one single "worst" STD, as severity depends on complications, but HIV/AIDS, Hepatitis B & C, and untreated bacterial infections like Syphilis (leading to blindness, paralysis) and Gonorrhea/Chlamydia (causing infertility/PID) are extremely serious due to long-term damage or mortality. Untreated, some cause severe liver disease (Hep C) or crippling immune system damage (HIV), while others can lead to cancer (HPV) or devastating reproductive issues. 

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.

Which is the easiest STD to catch?

Chlamydia. This kind of bacterial infection can spread through sexual contact with the infected individual. The disease may pass on through oral sex or sharing of sex toys. Sometimes, having oral sex with a partner can cause chlamydia in your throat.

What is the #1 bacterial STD?

Syphilis and gonorrhea are ancient afflictions. Now, however, Chlamydia is prevalent and has become the most common bacterial STD.

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 animal did syphilis come from?

Syphilis, caused by Treponema pallidum, likely originated from a related bacterium in wild animals, possibly primates or livestock, that crossed over to humans (a zoonotic leap), potentially through skin contact or animal handling, evolving into the severe form seen in humans centuries ago. While theories suggest links to cattle, sheep, or even New World animals, genetic evidence points to an ancient animal origin before it became a widespread sexually transmitted infection (STI) in humans, with the most famous outbreak linked to Columbus's return to Europe. 

What are the first signs of syphilis?

The first sign of syphilis is typically a single, small, firm, painless sore called a chancre, appearing where the infection entered the body (genitals, mouth, anus, or lips), often 3 weeks after exposure but potentially 10 to 90 days later; this sore heals on its own, but the infection progresses, sometimes causing a non-itchy skin rash on palms/feet, fever, swollen glands, or fatigue in the secondary stage, though many people have no noticeable symptoms.
 

How hard is it to catch syphilis?

It's not inherently "hard" to get syphilis, as it's a very contagious bacterial infection passed through direct contact with a sore during oral, vaginal, or anal sex, but transmission depends on the infected person being in a contagious stage (primary, secondary, or early latent) and having unprotected contact with a sore, which can be anywhere on the genitals, mouth, or rectum. Risk factors like multiple partners, unprotected sex, and having HIV increase chances, while condoms reduce, but don't eliminate, risk if sores are in uncovered areas. 

Can poor hygiene cause syphilis?

These include Chlamydia, Gonorrhoea, and Syphilis. The good news is that because they are bacterial, these infections can typically be cured with a course of antibiotics prescribed by a doctor. These infections are spread through sexual fluids and direct contact during vaginal, anal, or oral sex, not by poor hygiene.

What is the easiest STD to catch from oral?

Some STIs are more likely to be transmitted during oral sex than others, including:

• Herpes. Herpes is transmitted by skin-to-skin contact with a developing or existing sore. ...
• Gonorrhea. Gonorrhea is transmitted when bacteria are present in body fluids. ...
• HPV. ...
• Syphilis. ...
• HIV/AIDS. ...
• Other STIs.

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 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.

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.

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.