July 14--Cases of syphilis among women and newborns in California have increased over the past two years, state officials announced Monday.
Specifically, cases of congenital syphilis -- in which a pregnant mother infects her child during pregnancy -- shot up in the state, with annual cases in newborns rising from 30 to 100 from 2012 to 2014. In that same period, the annual number of reported early syphilis cases among women increased from 248 to 594.
"The increase in congenital syphilis is particularly concerning," California Department of Public Health Director Karen Smith said in a statement. "It is a needless tragedy that can be prevented with good prenatal care and timely and effective treatment."
Stillbirths caused by syphilis also rose from one case in 2012 to six in 2014.
Most of the congenital cases occurred in Los Angeles County and the Central Valley, according to the department.
Officials said they didn't know why, but that congenital syphilis is typically associated with poverty and lack of access to proper healthcare. They said that most of the women who had congenital syphilis hadn't received adequate medical care.
The increase in cases among women appears to have continued into this year, officials said.
According to 2013 data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, California's syphilis rate was second in the country behind Georgia.
