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PARKERSBURG -- Syphilis cases have been on the rise this year in the Mid-Ohio Valley, the local health department announced recently.
Since June 1, there have been 16 cases of syphilis diagnosed in District 5, 10 of these in Wood County, the Mid-Ohio Valley Health Department said in a press release.
District 5 encompasses Calhoun, Jackson, Pleasants, Ritchie, Roane, Tyler, Wirt and Wood counties.
Between 2012-2016, this district had a total of nine cases reported, the health department said.
Syphilis is a sexually transmitted infection that can cause serious health problems if it is not treated, the health department said. Anyone that has unprotected sex is at risk to get syphilis, but there are several groups that are at even higher risk that should be tested for syphilis every three to six months, the health department said.
"Any person that has another form of sexually transmitted disease (STD) or a person over the age of 12 with symptoms of hand, foot and mouth disease should be tested for syphilis. Sexually active individuals (whether they have symptoms or not) who engage in the following should also be tested: multiple sex partners, prostitution, IV drug use, alcohol and/or drug abuse, men who have sex with other men and HIV infected individuals who are sexually active."
Pregnant women are at high risk to pass the infection to their unborn child, said the health department.
"With the rise in number of cases in this area, it is highly recommended that pregnant women be tested during the first and third trimester and at delivery. This gives both the baby and mother the best chance of being treated," the health department said.
There are four stages of syphilis and each have different signs and symptoms. In the primary stage a person has sores at the original site of the infection that are usually but not always firm, round and painless. These can occur on or in the mouth, the genitals or rectum. In secondary syphilis, a person may have a skin rash, swollen lymph nodes, fever, fatigue and muscle aches.
Sometimes the rash can be mistaken for hand, foot and mouth disease.
The symptoms in the first two stages may go away without treatment but the infection is still there, the health department said.
"If left untreated, patients will progress to the latent stage which does not show any symptoms. Just because there are no symptoms, the person is still contagious and can pass the infection on to others."
The final stage is tertiary syphilis which can cause severe medical problems. It can affect the heart, brain and other organs. It can occur 10 to 30 years after initial infection if not treated early on, the health department said. It can cause severe headaches, numbness, paralysis or even dementia. It could also cause blindness.
Centers for Disease Control and Protection (CDC) and the Mid-Ohio Valley Health Department urge citizens to take precautions to protect themselves from contracting syphilis.
"The best protection is to use a latex condom correctly every time you have sex. Condoms prevent transmission of syphilis by preventing contact with the sore. If the sore occurs in areas not covered by the condom, then contact with those sores can still transmit syphilis," the health department said.
Anyone that suspects that they might have been exposed to a risky behavior that could cause syphilis are encouraged to be tested whether they have symptoms or not, officials said. Syphilis is treatable with antibiotics.
To learn more about syphilis, visit movhd.com under Worth Knowing for the CDC fact sheet. For information on testing and treatment, contact the clinical department of Mid-Ohio Valley Health Department at 304-485-7374.