PROMED: SYPHILIS in FLORIDA

x promed@promedmail.org 11:00 (43 minutes ago) to promed, promed-edr SYPHILIS - USA (05): (FLORIDA), HIGHER INCIDENCE ************************************************ A ProMED-mail post ProMED-mail is a program of the International Society for Infectious Diseases Date: Fri 20 Sep 2013 Source: Fort Mills Times [edited] Since 2000, Broward County has seen a 400 percent increase in reported syphilis cases. Early last week, 22 000 Broward County residents received an informational mailer from the AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF), the largest AIDS organization in the United States, regarding the shocking rates of syphilis within the south Florida county. The postal distribution resulted in a dramatic increase in patients seeking free testing and treatment at AHF's new local STD clinic, as well as a letter issued by the local Health Department to providers about how to help combat the spread of the sexually-transmitted disease. "While Broward County has the highest rate of syphilis in the state of Florida, the good news is that syphilis is a curable disease, one best caught and treated early," said Albert Ruiz, Director, Public Health Division for AHF and who oversees AHF's Wellness Programs. "We encourage any sexually active individual who feels that they may be at risk to come in and get tested, and if necessary, treated." The Florida Department of Health in Broward County's notice to providers highlighted the need for a stepped-up response by declaring 613 new cases of syphilis reported to the department's Broward County office in 2012, 15 of which were congenital syphilis infections passed from mother to child. This information is in line with the concerning statistics presented in the AHF mailer, which include the fact that syphilis cases reported in Broward County have increased by 400 percent since 2000. Within the 1st 10 days of the mailer's receipt, 6 new clients went to the newly opened AHF Broward Wellness Center seeking syphilis screenings and, if needed, treatment. The new Broward Wellness Center opened for free testing and treatment for HIV, syphilis, Chlamydia, and gonorrhea on 3 Sep 2013. -- Communicated by: ProMED-mail from HealthMap Alerts [Broward County is located in the U.S. state of Florida. As of 2010, the population was 1 748 066, making it the 2nd most populated county in the state (). Its county seat is Fort Lauderdale. Broward County is located on Florida's east coast between Palm Beach County to the north and Miami-Dade County to the south. In 2000, the number of cases and the incidence rate of primary and secondary syphilis (P&S), the contagious stages of syphilis, was 5979 and 2.1, respectively, the lowest since reporting began in 1941 (Table 1, ). The number of cases and incidence rate of P&S then increased almost yearly to 13 970 and 4.5 per 100 000 in 2011 (Table 1, ). The southern region of the U.S. accounted for 44.1 percent of P&S cases in 2011 (Table 26, ). Florida had the 5th highest incidence rate for P&S of 6.7 per 100 000 among all the states in 2011 (Table 5, ) and accounted for 9.0 percent of P&S in 2011 (table 26, ). Among counties and independent cities of the U.S. ranked by number of cases reported in 2011, Broward County ranked 10th highest with 235 cases of P&S and an incidence rate of 13.4 cases per 100 000; Miami-Dade ranked 6th highest with 330 cases and a rate of 13.2 per 100 000; Palm Beach County ranked 47th with 65 cases and a rate of 4.9 (Table 32 ). In recent years, young men who have sex with men (MSM) have accounted for an increasing number of syphilis cases in the United States; 72 percent of P&S syphilis cases are among MSM (). In Florida in 2011, men accounted for 89 percent of P&S cases, the same percentage as the country as a whole.