The recent surge in syphilis cases in Europe, Australia, and the United States is causing concern amongst health professionals. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports over 2.5 million cases of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) in the US in 2022 – a marked spike from the 113,739 reported cases in 2018. Syphilis cases have doubled to 203,500 in four years. Infection Control Today interviewed Dr. Deborah Sesok-Pizzini, the chief medical officer and global head of quality for Labcorp, seeking her expertise in understanding the rise in syphilis cases and the evolving role of testing in combating this trend. Dr. Sesok-Pizzini shared compelling data indicating a 755% increase in congenital syphilis over the past decade, stating that 37% of the infected didn’t receive prenatal care, leading to untreated infections.
Labcorp’s testing infrastructure revealed that from 2.36 million tests conducted in 2012, numbers have risen to 5.5 million in 2022 with expectations of continued growth in 2024. Despite syphilis being preventable and curable, it is alarming that many contract the disease without symptoms, unwittingly facilitating its spread. Thus, testing is crucial to early detection and prevention, with the CDC estimating that timely testing could have prevented 90% of congenital syphilis cases in newborns. Innovative testing methods by Labcorp, using traditional and reverse syphilis algorithm, adhere to CDC’s recommendation of combining treponemal and nontreponemal antibody tests for accurate diagnosis. Labcorp offers both options as part of profiles including STI and pregnancy profiles, alongside hepatitis B and C and HIV testing.
Early detection plays a key role in individual and community health outcomes, helping initiate early treatment and enabling patient notification to potential carriers. This is especially critical given CDC’s report on the lack of or untimely testing contributing to increased congenital syphilis cases. Labcorp’s collaborative initiatives like the Labcorp Venture Fund, investments in innovative start-ups like NOWDiagnostics (NOWDx), and educational resources like patient screening checklists and CDC testing guidelines aim to raise awareness about syphilis testing. Labcorp continues to explore more accessible screening methods, including online test purchases for diseases such as gonorrhea, chlamydia, and trichomoniasis. The ultimate goal remains to emphasize regular health check-ups and routine screenings as invaluable strategies to combat the spread of syphilis and other STIs.