Syphilis cases a rising concern in Minnesota

Syphilis cases increased 25% in Minnesota last year, primarily among men who have sex with men in the Twin Cities and Duluth, but also in pregnant women who passed their infections to newborns.

At 1,832 cases in 2022, syphilis is less common than other sexually transmitted diseases, but it presents severe risks if untreated, including blindness, stroke and nervous system damage. The 20 cases of congenital syphilis in 2022 also represented an increase from 14 in 2021, and heightened risks of birth defects and deformities in infected newborns.

The 22,079 cases of chlamydia and 8,161 cases of gonorrhea in 2022 both represented declines from 2021, but health officials said the COVID-19 pandemic could still be disrupting screening activity. The Minnesota Department of Health published the latest sexually transmitted disease (STD) totals Wednesday in an annual report.

"We cannot know the full extent of COVID-19's impact on STD screening and treatment accessibility based on our data over the past few years," said Christine Jones, manager of the Health Department's STD section. "But we can say for certain that STDs continue to be a major concern in Minnesota."

Health officials also expressed concerns about HIV outbreaks in Hennepin County, Ramsey County and Duluth — and an elevated rate of infections in young men 13 to 24. Overall, newly diagnosed HIV infections declined from 298 in 2021 to 262 last year.

The state estimated that 9,805 Minnesotans are living with HIV or AIDS, the disease that is diagnosed when HIV causes substantial damage to the immune system. More than 2,300 Minnesotans with HIV or AIDS are 60 or older, reflecting advances in medication therapies for the disease.

About 120 Minnesotans with HIV or AIDS died last year, including 29 who died from underlying complications of their disease.

State health officials urged people to seek STD testing if they engaged in unprotected sex with people they don't know or shared needles for injectable drugs. People exposed to HIV can prevent infection through early and consistent use of prophylactic medication.