Syphilis Cases Increase in U.S. Amid Call for More Tests
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Cases of syphilis, once on the verge of elimination, rose 36 percent in the U.S. in four years and more than doubled in young, homosexual black men, leading health authorities to emphasize more frequent screening.
The increase in the rates from 2006 to 2010 means sexually active men with male partners should be tested as often as every three months, rather than annually, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said in a report today. The rate of chlamydia rose about 24 percent, mainly because of increased screening, while gonorrhea cases are at historically low levels, dropping 16 percent. All three diseases are treatable.