With syphilis on the rise, experts promote joint testing on National HIV Testing Day

Health authorities nationwide have been alarmed by the rise in syphilis infections in recent years, and to help remedy the situation officials in some areas are promoting screenings during the upcoming HIV Testing Day on June 28.

For example, The Atlantic County Division of Public Health in New Jersey will offer free and confidential syphilis testing in the afternoon on that day. The screening will also cover other common STDs such as gonorrhea and chlamydia.

The growing syphilis epidemic is something that has occupied health authorities elsewhere in the U.S. as well. Cincinnati authorities have launched a street campaign to educated the public about the disease, which has steadily risen during the past 10 years, according to City Beat.

The news source quoted Dr Lawrence Holditch, medical director of the Cincinnati Health Department (CHD) as saying that while between 1999-2000 there were only about 15 cases per year, 72 cases were recorded in 2008 and 174 in 2009.

So far this year, the department has seen 81 infections.

"I have seen cases from all over the board," said Eric Washington, STD/HIV program manager for the CHD, quoted by the news provider. "I have seen mothers who have had this and passed it to their newborn babies, 16-year-olds who have contracted it from their partners and 70-year-old men who have gotten this."

The CDC reports that nationwide, the incidence of syphilis has increased by nearly 12 percent.