Note: Single-source report; awaiting corroboration.
Provisional CDC data show cases of newborn syphilis in the United States rose nearly 2% in 2024 compared to 2023, reaching almost 4,000 reported cases. This marks the twelfth consecutive year of increase in newborn syphilis, a serious but preventable outcome of the nation's ongoing sexually transmitted infection (STI) epidemic. The number of newborn syphilis cases has increased nearly 700% since 2015, when there were 495 cases reported.
The overall burden of STIs in the United States remains substantial. In 2024, more than 2.2 million STIs were reported, a 13% rise since 2015. However, CDC provisional data also show encouraging trends: overall reported STIs decreased by 9% from 2023, marking the third consecutive year of decline. Notably, primary and secondary syphilis, the most infectious stages, declined nearly 22% for the second straight year. Gonorrhea cases fell by nearly 10% and chlamydia cases declined by 8%, both marking multiple consecutive years of decreases.
These improvements are attributed in part to public health efforts such as increased awareness and the expanded use of prevention tools like self-testing and doxycycline post-exposure prophylaxis (doxy PEP). However, the CDC notes that regional and population disparities persist, and some communities may still be experiencing rising trends not reflected in the national data.
Bradley Stoner, M.D., Ph.D., Director of the CDC's Division of STD Prevention, stated, "While the STI epidemic may be turning a corner, we must accelerate progress and stop its most tragic consequences. About 1 in 5 people in the United States have an STI, affecting millions of Americans and thousands of babies each year. We need to continue our prevention efforts wholeheartedly at federal, state, and local levels."