Mississippi
Study Shows 1,100% Spike In Mississippi Babies Born With Syphilis—It’s Also Rising In These Other States
Topline
The state of Mississippi saw cases of congenital syphilis rise 11-fold between 2016 and 2022, a new study by University of Mississippi Medical Center researchers shows, contributing to an already high rate of infant illness and death in the state amid a dire rise in cases of the deadly disease that has echoed across the nation in recent years.
The University of Mississippi Medical Center.
Key Facts
The study out Wednesday says 367 infants in Mississippi—the poorest state in America—were hospitalized with undiagnosed congenital syphilis in the seven-year period studied, 92.6% of which were covered by Medicaid, 58% of which were from rural counties and 25% of which were born to mothers with a substance use disorder.
Researchers said the dramatic increase in the condition highlights the link between health, poverty and institutional racism in “fueling transmission of severe but preventable infections.”
More than 70% of the babies hospitalized with congenital syphilis were African-American, though the number of white babies born with the disease increased 2,600% in the time studied, compared to a 1,029% increase among Black children.
Babies born with syphilis—which is passed on from the mother but completely preventable if she receives treatment early—were also more likely to be born prematurely or have very low birthweight, the study showed, and six of the babies diagnosed in the last four years of the study died from the condition.
Pockets of Ohio, Missouri and Minnesota have also seen a rise in congenital syphilis—Missouri last year reported the highest number of cases since 1994, cases in Minnesota increased 42% in 2022 and cases in Ohio rose 158% from 2019 to 2021.
Cases in Arizona, New Mexico, Louisiana and Texas have also risen, CNN reported, with cases in the South growing 432% between 2016 and 2021.
Big Number
324. That’s how many congenital syphilis cases were reported to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in 2012. By 2021, that number had risen to 2,677.
Key Background
Every case of congenital syphilis represents “multiple failures of the health system,” Dr. Ali Khan, dean of the College of Public Health at the University of Nebraska Medical Center, told CNN in March, and researchers have blamed a lack of funding for the prevention of sexually transmitted diseases, a shortage of qualified personnel in public health programs and sporadic health coverage for the rise in rates. Syphilis is a disease that can cause sores, rashes and damage to the brain, nerves, eyes or heart if left untreated. It’s usually transmitted through sexual contact and is almost always curable with penicillin. Syphilis can spread from a mother with the condition to her unborn baby, but treatment in the last 30 days before birth can usually stop transmission. Medicaid requires that all pregnant women be tested for syphilis in their first trimester, but testing later in pregnancy or at birth is largely left up to states, with varying policies. States that don’t allow childless adults who are not disabled to be covered by Medicaid—the male partner of a pregnant woman, for instance—have seen the biggest increases in congenital syphilis, per CNN. Wednesday’s study showed that a diagnosis of congenital syphilis increases the mean hospital stay of a newborn to 14.5 days from a standard 3.8-day stay, and hospital charges rise from a mean of $14,945 to $56,802. Between 2016 and 2022, medical costs in Mississippi for congenital syphilis were $20.8 million—$19.4 million of which was paid for by Medicaid.
Tangent
African-Americans have long been disproportionately affected by syphilis, the CDC says, and as of 2018, 35% of reported syphilis cases were among Black people and the rate of congenital syphilis cases that same year was 6.4 times higher for Black people than white. The connection between race and the disease was exploited by the U.S. government for 40 years when the CDC and United States Public Health Service conducted the Tuskegee Syphilis Study on nearly 400 Black men. Researchers told participants they would be treated for their illness but they instead observed the effects of the disease when left untreated and provided the men with placebos and other ineffective methods. The study ended in 1972 and then-President Bill Clinton in 1997 issued a formal apology on behalf of the nation. Victims of the Tuskegee study were given the equivalent of $68 million today following a 1974 lawsuit by the NAACP.
Further Reading
Syphilis Is Rising—And May Not Be Recognized (Forbes)
Penicillin Shortage Explained: Increased Syphilis Rates And Amoxicillin Shortage Fueled Crisis (Forbes)
Syphilis Cases In Women And Congenital Syphilis Skyrocket In Houston: Symptoms And How To Stay Safe (Forbes)
Mississippi
Arizona State RB Cam Skattebo ‘disrespected’ by Mississippi State football’s defensive game plan
Cam Skattebo slammed Mississippi State on the football field on Saturday night and also took another jab afterward in his postgame press conference.
The Arizona State running back, following a 30-23 Sun Devils win at Mountain America Stadium, took exception to MSU only utilizing three defenders on the line of scrimmage. The results were damning.
Arizona State (2-0) rushed for 346 yards. It was the most allowed by Mississippi State (1-1) in a game since Arkansas in 2016. Skattebo’s 262 rushing yards on 33 carries were the second-most in ASU history.
“They couldn’t stop us in that three-down front,” Skattebo said when asked what made ASU’s run game successful. “Honestly, we all felt disrespected with them in a three-down front. You can’t come in here and put five guys in the box and expect to stop six. I don’t know. We took that a little disrespectful, and we rushed for what over 300 yards? Something around there. It is what it is.”
Skattebo, a 5-foot-11, 215-pound junior, also led Arizona State with 35 receiving yards on three catches.
“I knew these dudes were big and heavy,” he said. “We knew going into the game they weren’t as physical as most other teams but they’re heavy. So when they hit you, it hurts, no matter how hard they’re coming — 300 pounds at 10 miles per hour or 16 miles per hour hurts the same. I just kept my feet moving.”
Mississippi State trailed 30-3 in the third quarter but scored 20 unanswered points to cut the score to 30-23 with 5:27 to play. The Bulldogs never touched the ball again, with the Sun Devils running out the clock on 12 plays.
Skattebo had a game-sealing 39-yard rush that allowed ASU to kneel down.
“Until the end, we had our ups and downs there, but that was fun,” he said. “You can ask these guys up front, bullying dudes, grown men that are 300 pounds, that’s fun to us. That’s fun to the front-five, the front-seven and the running back. The quarterback probably hates it. He probably likes watching, but he didn’t complain one time the whole game.”
Sam Sklar is the Mississippi State beat reporter for the Clarion Ledger. Email him at ssklar@gannett.com and follow him on X @sklarsam_.
Mississippi
Why Mississippi State football loss to Arizona State revealed a strong Jeff Lebby culture
It was 11:10 p.m. Saturday in Starkville when Arizona State quarterback Sam Leavitt barreled into the end zone for his second touchdown of the game.
At that point, it would’ve been fair for Mississippi State football fans to call it a night. The Bulldogs (1-1) trailed 27-3 at ASU in the final minute of the second quarter. They were dominated in just about every statistical category. New coach Jeff Lebby looked like he was headed toward his first loss, and an embarrassing one.
And even if you gave the second half a chance, eyes just a crack open, that wasn’t encouraging either. Arizona State (2-0) took the opening drive of the third quarter for a field goal while eating 8 minutes, 27 seconds of game time. That just about decided the game before Mississippi State touched the ball in the second half.
Wrong.
Instead, MSU scored touchdowns on three of its next four drives and cut the score to 30-23 with 5:27 to play. The defense, which was torched for 346 rushing yards, needed one more stop to let the offense try to tie it. It would’ve been the largest comeback in program history.
Mississippi State’s path to a bowl game seems murkier than it was a week ago. But in the long-term, there’s still encouragement after the 30-23 loss.
“Our guys battled in an incredible way in the second half, and we’re going to hold on to that,” Lebby said in his postgame radio interview. “We’re going to find ways to get back in the building, get back to work and be able to walk into Davis Wade (Stadium) with a ton of confidence and ready to go win a football game.”
The encouragement from Mississippi State’s comeback effort
Lebby said after beating Eastern Kentucky 56-7 in Week 1 that there is an abundance of teachable moments in wins, just like losses.
There is plenty to point to after losing to Arizona State.
Mississippi State came out incredibly flat. The Sun Devils scored on their first five possessions. The MSU offense had one field goal, two punts, a fumble returned for a touchdown and a turnover-on-downs in the first half. MSU had -13 rushing yards in the first half.
There were concerns entering the game about the travel distance, late kickoff and high temperature. But let’s be real, Mississippi State was playing so poorly at the start that it was hard to judge if those were factors.
“I got to do a better job getting these guys ready to go play out of the gate,” Lebby said. “I thought our energy, our effort and our emotion was really good, but then we did not play clean there in the first quarter, so that part was frustrating.”
The Bulldogs outscored the Sun Devils 20-0 in the final quarter and a half. It was a surprise. Arizona State was rolling. Mississippi State was not.
MORE: Introducing Sam Sklar, the Clarion Ledger’s new Mississippi State beat reporter
For Lebby, a first-time head coach at any level, let it be a learning moment for him. It was his first time getting pinned in a corner. The Bulldogs adjusted correctly in the second half like good coaches do.
The rushing offense and defense both need to improve. Badly. Quarterback Blake Shapen has been impressive in his first two Mississippi State games and the wide receiver room is deep and talented as ever, but they can’t be the only answer.
That’s just for this season.
Mississippi State has its first tally in the loss column. But it isn’t a strike against Lebby leading the future of the program.
Sam Sklar is the Mississippi State beat reporter for the Clarion Ledger. Email him at ssklar@gannett.com and follow him on X @sklarsam_.
Sam Leavitt leads ASU to convincing victory in 1st career start
Leavitt and the Sun Devils cruised past visiting Wyoming 48-7 on Saturday night at Mountain America Stadium.
The Arizona State football team elevated its play on the field in its 48-7 win over Wyoming in Week 1.
It is elevating its uniform game for Week 2 against Mississippi State.
ASU football is wearing a gold alternate jersey against the Bulldogs at Mountain America Stadium in Tempe on Saturday night.
The jersey includes maroon “Arizona State” lettering and maroon numbering, along with a noticeable Big 12 logo.
The Sun Devil football team unveiled the uniform last month, with Athletic Director Graham Rossini posting that “you’ll see this on the field early this season.”
On Thursday, ASU football announced that it would be wearing the uniform against Mississippi State with a video that said “Modern shine, with a classic design.”
On Friday, it posted another look at the uniform.
More: Arizona State vs Mississippi State live score updates, analysis for college football game
ASU vs Mississippi State schedule, TV: How to watch college football game
Promising look: Arizona State football’s 2024 win prediction doubles after Week 1 victory over Wyoming
Social media reacted favorably overall to ASU football’s uniform vs Mississippi State:
Do you like the look for ASU football?
ASU vs. Mississippi State picks: Who wins Week 2 college football game?
Looking promising: Arizona State football makes huge leap in college football ranking, Big 12 power rankings
Reach Jeremy Cluff at jeremy.cluff@arizonarepublic.com. Follow him on X, formerly Twitter @Jeremy_Cluff.
Support local journalism: Subscribe to azcentral.com today.
'Divine intervention': Why Brian Brennan has officiated high school football for 54 seasons
China and US push each other on priorities for UN COP29 climate talks
Paris Paralympics set records
How Trump and Harris are preparing for their first debate of 2024
Harris quick to call for gun control after Georgia shooting, stays mum on armed Venezuelan migrant gangs
Colorado Rockies game no. 116 thread: Zac Gallen vs José Ureña
See it: Tesla crashes into Columbus convention center at 70 mph
Fox News Politics: Georgia the whole day through
Death of missing Oregon girl found in stream ruled homicide
At least 2 dead as tornadoes hit Alabama, damage homes across Southeast
Paris Paralympics set records
How Trump and Harris are preparing for their first debate of 2024
Cross-Tabs: September 2024 Times/Siena Poll of the Likely Electorate
Bold prediction: What the Senate GOP campaign chair says about winning back the majority
Philippine authorities arrest church leader charged with sex trafficking
-
Politics1 week agoTrump impersonates Elon Musk talking about rockets: ‘I’m doing a new stainless steel hub’
-
World1 week agoBrussels, my love? Is France becoming the sick man of Europe?
-
Politics1 week agoTrump campaign slams Harris as 'still a San Francisco radical' after CNN interview
-
Politics1 week agoHarris says no regrets about defending Biden fitness for office
-
World1 week agoLocals survey damage after flooding in eastern Romania
-
World1 week agoWhy is Belgium struggling to name a European Commissioner?
-
World7 days agoTaiwan court orders release of ex-Taipei mayor arrested in corruption probe
-
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():focal(722x354:724x356)/Angelina-jolie-becomes-maria-callas-100923-01-2cce48d3de044c459234fd2c2ef1e0d7.jpg "'Maria' Reviews: What Critics Are Saying About Angelina Jolie's Transformation and Singing as the Opera Diva")
Movie Reviews1 week ago'Maria' Reviews: What Critics Are Saying About Angelina Jolie's Transformation and Singing as the Opera Diva