Syphilis Surge: How to Get Tested - Verywell Health
Key Takeaways
- Syphilis infections are up 17% since last year.
- Syphilis can mimic other infections and requires a blood test for accurate detection.
- It is curable with antibiotics if caught early.
- Testing is available at your local health department.
Cases of syphilis have increased by 79% in the last five years and 17% in the last year alone, according to a new report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
The numbers have surged to the point that the CDC recently released new laboratory testing guidelines to establish best practices for detecting the STI.
As syphilis exposure has increased, the need for testing has grown along with it. This raises the questions: How and where is testing available, and how do you know when you need it? Here's what you need to know.
What Is Syphilis?
Syphilis is a sexually transmitted infection that can often mimic other conditions. One of the first signs of infection is sores, called chancres, that appear around the genitals, anus, rectum, or mouth. The sores often heal without intervention, leading people to believe that the issue is over. A few weeks later, though, patients may develop a fever, rash, or swollen lymph nodes.
Left untreated, syphilis can further develop, damaging almost any major organ, causing neurological injury such as blindness, and potentially leading to death. Luckily, syphilis is easily cured with antibiotics if caught early.
Syphilis Testing Options
Much like other STIs, syphilis is typically detected using a simple blood test.
There are two different types of tests that look for infection at various stages of development, Yudara Kularathne, MD, founder of HeHealth, told Verywell.
"Generally, syphilis can be detected by a blood test within one to two weeks after the infection," he said. "However, the most reliable results are usually obtained a few weeks after exposure. Clinical symptoms might appear before the blood test becomes positive, so clinical recognition by a doctor is the most important."
Testing is widely available and can be requested from your primary care provider, gynecologist, hospital, or a sexual health clinic.
Online testing is now widely available as well. Patients are asked to complete a finger stick to draw enough blood to cover a testing card, which is then mailed off to a certified lab.
Although online tests grew in popularity during the pandemic, there is room for error when completing the testing process at home, said Yolanda Lawson, MD, president of the National Medical Association.
"There is an issue of accuracy. We have to have enough saturation to get a sensitive and accurate result, which can be a challenge," she told Verywell.
In the event of a false negative or testing too soon, patients may continue to spread the virus under the assumption that they are negative. Lawson said that while these tests are a good stopgap, working with your provider is a more reliable way to be sure of your status.
If you don't have a primary care physician or access to a clinic or hospital that offers testing, Lawson said your local health department is another viable option.
"If people are uninsured, the health department will not only test you, but they will track you and treat you," she said. "Many communities also have community-based organizations that offer STI screening."
When to Get Tested
Kularathne said that syphilis testing should be routine for anyone sexually active and having unprotected sex, especially with new or multiple partners. If you have a partner who has been recently diagnosed, that should trigger immediate testing as well.
Pregnant people should also be tested. Not only can syphilis be detrimental to the mother, but it can be passed on to a fetus or result in miscarriage, stillbirth, or lifelong health issues for the child. Common complications from this congenital form of syphilis can include organ inflammation and neurological conditions like deafness, blindness, and seizures.
What This Means For You
If you are sexually active, consider quarterly testing for syphilis. Pregnant people should be tested at the beginning, middle, and end of their pregnancy. If you don't have access to a primary care physician, your local health department can provide affordable testing and treatment.
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