1145: Why the South Is Facing a Syphilis Crisis

Syphilis cases are rising at alarming rates across the American South, especially congenital syphilis, which can be passed from pregnant mothers to their babies. Thomas Dobbs, dean of the John D. Bower School of Population Health at the University of Mississippi, traces the history of syphilis in the United States, from the dramatic declines made possible by antibiotics and public health interventions to the sharp resurgence seen over the last decade. He explains how gaps in prenatal care, rural healthcare deserts, insurance barriers, medication shortages, and the erosion of public health infrastructure have combined to fuel rising infections. particularly among pregnant women and newborns. Later, Joshua O’Neal, program director, Southeast STI/HIV Prevention Training Center, discusses how prevention training centers across the country are helping state health departments and local providers respond to the crisis. O’Neal describes the hands-on work being done to strengthen syphilis prevention and improve access to testing and treatment, like mobile testing programs, provider education, and statewide collaboration efforts. He also shares insights from the “Syphilis in the South” summit, where clinicians, public health leaders, and outreach workers came together to tackle one of the region’s most urgent public health challenges.Sustaining Services and Outbreak Response for HIV, Viral Hepatitis, STIs, and TB | ASTHO