Current Trends in Syphilis Mortality in the United States, 2015–2020

Abstract

Rates of reported cases of syphilis have steadily increased since 2000 in the United States. However, despite the increase in cases, mortality from 2000–2014 declined. The following study examines the latest trends in syphilis-related deaths using 2015–2020 Multiple Cause of Death data. A total of 925 syphilis-related deaths were identified during the study period, 30% of which listed syphilis as the underlying cause of death. On average, age-adjusted syphilis mortality increased by 9.51% annually (95% CI = 5.41%–13.77%). Study findings indicate a marked increase in deaths attributed to syphilis, underscoring the need to more systematically and comprehensively address the growing sexually transmitted infection epidemic in the United States.