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County Health Department Works to Keep Syphilis Under Control

ANDERSON — Though some counties have experienced outbreaks, Madison County has been making strides to stay on top of syphilis which continues to be a problem nationwide.

Tiffany Denton, outreach coordinator for the Madison County Health Department, said her department has increased its syphilis testing efforts this month.

“It’s only the 11th and we’ve caught three syphilis positives who would not have originally been screened based on risk factors,” she told the board during a meeting Wednesday.

She said the goal is to prevent an outbreak like recent ones in Vanderburgh and other counties.

In June 2021, Vanderburgh County experienced an outbreak which resulted in 63 reported cases by December, according to the Evansville Courier and Press.

That same year, Madison County had 16 reported cases, according to Indiana Department of Health data.

Data for 2023 is not yet available.

“We’re trying to keep the state away because we want to do it by ourselves and we’re trying to keep this from being a larger problem,” Denton said.

Risk factors for syphilis include having sex with multiple partners, having unprotected sex and living with untreated HIV, according to the Mayo Clinic.

Symptoms of syphilis vary based on the disease’s progression.

A chancre, or sore, on the area where a body comes in contact with syphilis characterizes the early stages.

Symptoms of the second stage include a rash on the chest, pelvis and/or hair loss, fever, muscle aches, fatigue and swollen lymph nodes.

If left untreated, bacteria can damage organs including the brain, liver and heart.

STD screenings are available Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Madison County Health Department.

Source: The Herald Bulletin

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