Health officials at San Diego State University are warning students and staff about a syphilis outbreak. It used to be a fairly rare sexually transmitted disease or STD, but the campus is now reporting a cluster of cases. And it all started with one confirmed case.
About a week ago, a student on campus was confirmed with a case of syphilis. It's routine to refer STD cases to the county for further investigation, to find out how many other sexual partners may be infected. That investigation prompted a campus wide warning.
Dr. Gregg Lichtenstein, SDSU Medical Director: Essentially they want to make sure that everyone been tested and treated so it doesn't keep spreading throughout the community.
Syphilis is a highly contagious infection. It's usually transmitted through sexual contact, but in rare cases, it can be passed on through kissing. It's also dangerous. It can lead to blindness, paralysis, even dementia.
Many historians believe syphilis is what caused Henry VIII's decline and eventual death. These days, syphilis can be treated and cured with antibiotics.
University officials won't say how many confirmed cases of the STD have been reported, but they have alerted all students and staff. They are also urging students to be tested.
Lichenstein : I worked here since 1984 and frankly I can't remember another cluster of syphilis cases -- I mean maybe one or two over that period of time.
But the trend is changing. Nationally, the number of new syphilis cases reported in the U.S. went from just under 8,000 in 2004 to almost 9,000 in 2005 -- an increase of 11 percent.
And locally, the stats are more alarming. In San Diego County, in 2004, there were 136 cases. In 2005, 193 cases. An increase of 40 percent.
That shouldn't come as a surprise according to some students on campus.
Max Greene, SDSU Student : They're still careless. They're still thinking with their other head and partying way too hard and being careless when it comes to having sex.
Students say safe sex is still a tough sell, even after a 20-year, nation-wide public awareness campaign.
Gonorrhea, another STD, is also causing concern among health officials in San Diego. A new strain of the disease has been found locally and it's resistant to some antibiotics.
