OXFORD, Miss. — Mississippi is confronting a dramatic rise in syphilis infections, and University of Mississippi School of Pharmacy faculty are collaborating with the Mississippi Department of Health to curb transmission.
Alarming Increases: Overall syphilis cases in Mississippi have jumped about 80%, while congenital syphilis—passed from mother to infant—has surged by an estimated 1,000% U.S. Food and Drug Administration+3Ole Miss+3Ole Miss+3.
Expert Concerns: Kayla Stover, UM vice chair of pharmacy practice, called syphilis a “nationwide epidemic” that demands urgent action Ole Miss+1.
How the Disease Spreads and Why Early Detection Is Challenging
Syphilis is a bacterial infection transmitted sexually and can be prevented, treated, and cured. However, its early symptoms are often subtle or absent—such as painless sores in the oral or genital region that may heal on their own, leading to missed diagnosis.
Secondary symptoms may include rashes on palms and soles approximately 2 to 3 months after exposure. Untreated, it may enter a dormant phase and cause long-term damage later on Ole Miss.
Advanced untreated syphilis can result in blindness, heart defects, neurological damage, and severe cognitive impairment. Congenital syphilis poses additional risks to newborns—including preterm birth, developmental delays, skeletal deformities, and death Ole Miss+1.
Testing, Treatment and Prevention: A Call to Action
Efforts are underway to train pharmacists in supporting detection and prevention:
Testing: Available via local health departments, primary care clinics, or in‑home test kits sold at pharmacies. Positive cases are recorded by the Mississippi Department of Health Ole Miss+2Ole Miss+2.
Treatment: A single dose of benzathine penicillin is typically effective for early stages. More doses are required for latent or late‑stage infection U.S. Food and Drug Administration+1.
Prevention Advice from Stover:
Understand your body and symptoms
Use condoms consistently
Get tested annually or when beginning new sexual relationships
Stover stressed that discussing and testing for syphilis should carry no stigma—it’s a common infection that can be prevented and treated responsibly Ole Miss+1.
Why This Matters
The surge in congenital syphilis rates—particularly the 1,000% increase in Mississippi—underscores a broader national public health emergency. According to national data, syphilis cases in the U.S. climbed approximately 80% between 2018 and 2022, and congenital infections rose tenfold between 2012 and 2022 U.S. Food and Drug Administration+3JHU Bloomberg School of Public Health+3Ole Miss+3.
Physician and Public Health Takeaways
Training pharmacists to recognize symptoms and facilitate testing can bridge prevention gaps.
Removing stigma from sexual health conversations is vital.
Routine screening, especially for pregnant individuals, and immediate antibiotic treatment are key to stopping the disease cycle.
