Statistics
- In 1999, over 35,000 adult cases of syphilis and 556 cases in newborns were reported.
- Eight of the nine states that have more syphilis cases are found in the South of the U.S.
- Syphilis occurs mostly among persons between 20 to 39 years of age.
- Men suffer 1.5 times more of syphilis than women.
- The risk of getting HIV increases 2-5 times when a person has syphilis.
- Although syphilis cases have decreased, African Americans continue to be more affected with syphilis. Reported cases of syphilis were 30 times higher for African Americans than for whites.
