"Rising Syphilis Cases in the U.S. Threaten by Budget Cuts and Drug Shortages"

Syphilis rates in the US have spiked, reaching the highest level since the 1950s, with over 2.5 million STD cases reported in 2022. The surge in congenital syphilis cases is particularly alarming, leading to at least 282 stillbirths and infant deaths. However, ongoing budget cuts threaten efforts to contain the outbreaks, potentially leading to job losses for disease trackers and reduced STD testing work in heavily affected states like Texas and Arizona. Public health experts stress the need for more investment in infrastructure, innovation, treatment, and prevention to address the crisis, while the Biden administration's task force aims to increase prevention of syphilis cases through testing and treatment.