Despite common beliefs, syphilis remains a worldwide problem

Sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) come in a variety of forms. While the prevalence of certain conditions may not be as high as they were in previous decades, individuals still need to be cautious of all of the sexual infections that exist. Recently, the London Free Press reported that many people have been harboring a false assumption that syphilis is no longer an issue, which could lead to serious consequences.

The news provider spoke to Colin Lee, M.D., a researcher with the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, who said that the number of people infected with syphilis went down drastically in the 1990s, only to rise again in 2009. Lee said that this could be due to the symptoms associated with this disease, which can often be confused with other conditions.

"Syphilis differs from other STDs in that its symptoms are not that obvious," Lee told the news source. "It's been called the great imitator and for good reason. It has a wide range of symptoms and those infected can go through three different stages (primary, secondary and tertiary) where the symptoms may be confused with other conditions or diseases."

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that in 2006 there were an estimated 36,000 cases of syphilis in the U.S. Due to the subtle nature of its symptoms, sexually active individuals should consider getting tested for this and other STDs on a regular basis, even if they do not believe they have it.