San Diego County's health agency is launching a radio and television ad campaign in an effort to reverse a spike in syphilis infections and other sexually transmitted diseases.
The campaign begins Thursday.
The county's annual number of new syphilis cases rose from 23 in 1997 to 312 last year. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, new cases shot up 800 percent between 2001 and 2006, while the national total went up just 60 percent.
New chlamydia and gonorrhea cases in San Diego County also have increased in recent years.
The bacteria that cause syphilis are transmitted through contact with a syphilis sore. They can remain dormant for 10 to 20 years.
