Syphilis cases on the rise in U.S. and Maine

U.S. CDC has launched a new campaign - Syphilis Strikes Back - to raise awareness about recent increases in the number and rate of syphilis cases. In 2015, the United States experienced the highest number and rate of reported primary and secondary syphilis cases in more than 20 years.

Forty-nine cases of primary, secondary, and early latent syphilis were reported to Maine CDC in 2015, which represents a significant increase over the five-year median of 19 cases.  

In 2015, the statewide syphilis rate was 3.7 per 100,000. Rates were highest in Somerset and Cumberland counties, with rates of 11.7 per 100,000 and 9 per 100,000 respectively.

Of the reported cases, 61 percent were diagnosed in southern Maine (26 cases in Cumberland County, four cases in York County) and 22 percent of cases were diagnosed in central Maine (Kennebec and Somerset counties).

Most of the cases (76 percent) were among 25 – 54-year-olds. Since 2011, the proportion of syphilis cases in people age 40 and older has been increasing steadily from 30 percent in 2011 to 47 percent in 2015.

The majority of syphilis cases identified as male (41 cases or 82 percent). The number of early syphilis cases among females rose from one reported case in 2011 to nine reported cases in 2015. 

The predominant mode of transmission associated with reported syphilis cases was male-to-male sexual contact (32 cases or 65 percent).

There were 48 cases of syphilis reported to Maine CDC in 2016, but analyses of the 2016 data are not yet complete.

For more information about syphilis, visit https://www.cdc.gov/std/sam/2017syphilis.htm

Update on HIV, STDs, and Viral Hepatitis

The Maine HIV, STD, and Viral Hepatitis program has updated its web site. For easy access to information and resources, check out www.mainepublichealth.gov/hivstdhep

The Sixth Annual Comprehensive Sexuality Education Conference will be held from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. April 7 at the Augusta Civic Center.

Keynote speaker is Pamela Wilson, M.S.W., author of Our Whole lives: Sexuality Education for Grades 7-9. Workshops focus on foundational knowledge and skills, networking opportunities, and innovative ideas to put into practice.

The cost is $40 before March 18 and $50 after March 18.

The conference is co-sponsored by: Family Planning Association of Maine; Maine Department of Education; Maine Center for Disease Control & Prevention, an Office of the Department of Health & Human Services; New Beginnings; University of Maine Farmington; and the Maine Association for Health, Physical Education, Recreation, and Dance.

For more information and to register: https://www.mainefamilyplanning.org/forms/conference_form.php

HIV

The Institute of Medicine (IOM) has released the report HIV Screening and Access to Care: Exploring the Impact of Policies on Access to and Provision of HIV Care. The report examines how Federal and State laws and policies and private health insurance policies affect entry into clinical care and the provision of continuous and sustained care for people with HIV.

US CDC has published an article on disparities in HIV diagnoses among African Americans and other racial and ethnic minorities.

STDs

US CDC published the article “Discordant Results from Reverse Sequence Syphilis Screening” in the MMWR.

Viral Hepatitis

US CDC has made new patient education materials related to hepatitis available on its website.

The following articles have been published in the MMWR:

• Potential Transmission of Viral Hepatitis Through Use of Stored Blood Vessels as Conduits in Organ Transplantation
• Deaths from Acute Hepatitis B Virus Infection Associated with Assisted Blood Glucose Monitoring in an Assisted-Living Facility

HIV/STD Update

World AIDS Day

December 1 is World AIDS Day. There are approximately 1,462 people estimated to be living in Maine with diagnosed HIV infection. In addition, Maine CDC estimates that about 388 people in Maine may be infected but unaware of their HIV status. Worldwide, more than 33 million people are estimated to be living with HIV. For more information on World AIDS Day: http://www.aids.gov/world-aids-day/ For more information on HIV/AIDS in Maine: www.mainepublichealth.gov/hivstdhep

Syphilis

Since mid-July, health care providers in Maine have diagnosed 19 cases of early syphilis, ages 19-56, in Cumberland, Penobscot, Waldo and York Counties. Eleven cases were primary syphilis, 5 cases were secondary syphilis, and 3 cases were early latent syphilis. All 19 cases were among men who have sex with men (MSM). Eight of the 19 individuals (42%) are known to be HIV positive. A total of 33 cases of early syphilis have been reported since the beginning of the calendar year. For more information, see this Health Alert: http://www.maine.gov/tools/whatsnew/index.php?topic=DHHS-HAN&id=152027&v=alert

PrEP

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) has announced the results of an international clinical trial, co-sponsored by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, that examined whether a pill containing two drugs used to treat HIV can also help prevent HIV infection – an approach called pre-exposure prophylaxis, or PrEP. The trial found that daily oral use of Truvada ® provided an average of 44 percent additional protection to trial participants that included gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men (MSM), as well as transgendered women who have sex with men. These participants also received a comprehensive package of prevention services that included monthly HIV testing, condom provision, counseling, and management of other sexually transmitted infections.

US CDC will fully review the trial data and publish interim guidance in the coming weeks in the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, to be followed in several months by formal U.S. Public Health Service guidelines. The agency urges individuals and their doctors to await those guidelines before use. For more information, please refer to the PrEP fact sheet: http://www.cdc.gov/nchhstp/newsroom/PrEPforHIVFactSheet.html

This blog has additional information from the White House.

Sixth Annual Comprehensive Sexuality Education Conference

Save the date for the sixth annual Comprehensive Sexuality Education Conference, which will be held April 7 at the Augusta Civic Center. It is sponsored by: Family Planning Association of Maine; Maine Department of Education, Maine CDC; New Beginnings; University of Maine at Farmington; and the Maine Association for Health, Physical Education, Recreation, and Dance.