CDC: Gay men are
fueling rising U.S. syphilis rate

The number of new syphilis cases in the United States rose 8% between 2003 and 2004, with gay and bisexual men accounting for much of the increase, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention say in a report issued late last week. Female cases declined between 2003 and 2004, but cases among men rose from 2.6 per 100,000 people in 2003 to 4.7 per 100,000 in 2004, reports The Washington Times . About 65% of all male syphilis cases were diagnosed among gay and bisexual men, according to the report. Many of the male syphilis cases also were diagnosed among gay and bisexual men who are coinfected with HIV, according to the report. Gay men who use crystal methamphetamine and who meet casual sex partners through the Internet also had high rates of syphilis infection.

Syphilis rates were shown to be 5.6 times higher among African-Americans than whites, according to the study. The South had the largest regional increase in new syphilis diagnoses, with a 16% rise between 2003 and 2004. ( The Advocate )