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Editor, Senior Moderator
Source: http://www2.wkrg.com/news/2011/oct/04/syphilis-outbreak-escambia-county-florida-ar-2508173/
Syphilis Outbreak in Escambia County, Florida
By: Lauren Vargas
Published: October 04, 2011
PENSACOLA - It's tough to find someone willing to talk about sexually transmitted diseases with the media, but Dr. John Lanza with the Escambia County Health Department says it's an issue that needs to be discussed.
"This is the first time we've had this significant of an outbreak of syphilis," said Dr. Lanza.
The number of syphilis cases in Escambia County is the highest doctors have seen in 30 years. At least 69 people have contracted the disease in 2011. That's almost three times higher than what doctors have seen in the last five years.
"What really got us concerned is that four of those cases were in pregnant women, and in one of those pregnant women, the baby died," said Doctor Lanza.
What's also concerning doctors is who is contracting it. Syphilis patients are often older, gay men. But in this outbreak, it's mostly straight men and women in their 20s and 30s...
Syphilis Outbreak in Escambia County, Florida
By: Lauren Vargas
Published: October 04, 2011
PENSACOLA - It's tough to find someone willing to talk about sexually transmitted diseases with the media, but Dr. John Lanza with the Escambia County Health Department says it's an issue that needs to be discussed.
"This is the first time we've had this significant of an outbreak of syphilis," said Dr. Lanza.
The number of syphilis cases in Escambia County is the highest doctors have seen in 30 years. At least 69 people have contracted the disease in 2011. That's almost three times higher than what doctors have seen in the last five years.
"What really got us concerned is that four of those cases were in pregnant women, and in one of those pregnant women, the baby died," said Doctor Lanza.
What's also concerning doctors is who is contracting it. Syphilis patients are often older, gay men. But in this outbreak, it's mostly straight men and women in their 20s and 30s...