Flathead County sees rise in syphilis cases, mirroring national trend
This 1966 microscope photo made available by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows a tissue sample with the presence of numerous, corkscrew-shaped, darkly-stained, Treponema pallidum spirochetes, the bacterium responsible for causing syphilis. (Skip Van Orden/CDC via AP, File)
Flathead City-County Health Department officials say the area is seeing an increase in cases of syphilis over the last several years, falling in line with a national trend.
There were 14 cases of the sexually transmitted disease detected in Flathead County in 2023, an increase from 11 cases in 2022 and nine in 2021, according to Health Department Population Health Manager Lisa Dennison. There was only one case per year for 2020 and 2019, with five cases listed for 2018.
Syphilis starts as a sore that is often painless and appears on the genitals, rectum or mouth, according to the Mayo Clinic. It can spread from person to person via direct contact with the sores, passed to a baby during pregnancy and occasionally to a newborn through breastfeeding. It is curable, but left untreated the disease progresses through stages ranging from fever and sore throat to damage to the brain, nerves and more.
“Over the past several decades, the county has experienced low incidence of syphilis, meaning that there were very few cases reported to us,” Dennison wrote in an email. “Since it is a disease that has been historically uncommon, an ‘uptick’ in cases can present itself as a lower number.”
Though the rise in syphilis is concerning, Flathead County sees higher numbers of other sexually transmitted diseases. There were 242 cases of chlamydia and 44 cases of gonorrhea reported to the Health Department in 2023, according to year-to-date data compiled in Dennison’s December communicable diseases report.
A recent report from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention calls for a “swift innovation and collaboration from all [sexually transmitted infection] prevention partners” to address rising cases of syphilis nationally. Total cases surpassed 207,000 in 2022, the highest count in the U.S. since 1950, as reported by the Associated Press.
According to the Mayo Clinic, syphilis is treated with penicillin and can sometimes be cured with one shot. The county Health Department offers rapid syphilis testing for individuals through its Family Planning clinic and can provide treatment on a sliding fee scale.
Individuals who are interested in making an appointment can call 406-751-8150.
Reporter Taylor Inman can be reached at 406-758-4433 or by emailing tinman@dailyinterlake.com.