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SDSU Syphilis Outbreak Prompts Urging That Students Get Tested

School health officials are recommending sexually active students at San Diego State get tested for sexually transmitted diseases. The suggestion comes following the discovery of a number of students

SDSU Syphilis Outbreak Prompts Urging That Students Get Tested

School health officials are recommending sexually active students at San Diego State get tested for sexually transmitted diseases. The suggestion comes following the discovery of a number of students who've contracted syphilis. KPBS reporter Kenny Goldberg has the story.

SDSU officials say they identified their first case of syphilis late last week. Then, the county notified the school of some additional cases on campus.

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Dr. Gregg Lichtenstein is the medical director of SDSU’s student health services. He won't say how many students became infected. But he will say it's a small number.

Lichtenstein : What's unusual in this situation is that we don't see syphilis that often. I've been here since 1984, and there's probably only been a couple of cases over that period of time.

Syphilis is spread through unprotected sex. Health officials say people can be infected with the disease and not know it. SDSU students can get tested for free on campus or at County health centers.

Kenny Goldberg, KPBS News.