Congenital Syphilis: Lessons Learned from the US Experience
 
Dr. Bobby McDonald, a former CDC physician, explains that congenital syphilis has become a major public health crisis in the United States despite being preventable. Globally, syphilis cases have risen over the past decade, with an estimated 700,000 congenital cases each year. Congenital syphilis occurs when infection is passed from mother to child during pregnancy and can cause miscarriage, stillbirth, infant death, or lifelong disability. Early treatment in pregnancy can prevent nearly all cases and complications. In the U.S., syphilis declined for decades after penicillin but has surged again over the last ten years. Congenital syphilis reached 3,941 cases in 2024, nearly a 700% increase since 2015, although recent data suggest the rate of increase may be slowing. Cases among women have spread widely across the country, and disparities are especially severe among American Indian, Alaska Native, Black, and Latino communities. Missed opportunities include lack of prenatal care, missed testing, and inadequate treatment during pregnancy. McDonald highlights responses such as broader screening guidance, clinician education, state and federal initiatives, and public messaging. He concludes that reducing stigma, expanding testing, and improving treatment are essential to reversing the crisis..  Health Watch USA^sm meeting April 15, 2026.   View YouTube Video https://youtu.be/NPBj1zLQiS8