SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (Dakota News Now) – South Dakota is on the wrong end of a growing syphilis concern in the United States.

The Mount Rushmore State sits at the top of primary and secondary cases in women of childbearing age, and number two in congenital syphilis cases which deals with infants.

Dr. Ashley Sands specializes in Pediatric Infectious Diseases at Sanford Health. She says more accurate testing shows that this trend has been going up since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, affecting not just adults but infants.

“Our syphilis rates all over the country have really skyrocketed over the last three to five years. With that comes an increase in congenital syphilis,” said Sands.

Those rising numbers aren’t spread across the state evenly either, with Native Americans seeing the largest increase in congenital syphilis.

“Whereas it’s one in 275 births across the state of all races, it’s one in 42 of our American Indian population,” said Sands.

Sands said that infection takes a toll on an infant and can lead to major complications and sometimes death. Treating it in infants it also much more intensive.

“Syphilis in infants can touch every organ of the baby’s body. From the brain to the bone marrow to the lungs and the liver. It can end in death of the baby. It’s something that we are seeing a lot of,” said Sands.

Sands wants to make people aware of the growing health concern, and wants people to know that syphilis is easy to treat in adults, which cuts down on the risk for infants.

“You can be tested very easily. Anybody can go their physician, their family clinic and get a simple blood test. Then it’s treated in adults very easily,” Sands said.

Access can be an issue, especially in rural areas of the state, but Sands says there are other options for getting treatment for syphilis than just going to a clinic, which can be difficult.

“I know it’s difficult to get in. There are fewer clinics. But there are ways to not just go to your family clinic. There are very quick point of care testing that can be done,” Sands said.

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