Syphilis Outbreak Detected In Far South Side Roseland Area

CHICAGO — City health officials are alerting residents of an outbreak of syphilis in Chicago’s Far South Side Roseland community.

The Chicago Department of Public Health in investigating the outbreak that is prevalent among older heterosexual men. Data for 2020 indicate that there were 919 reported primary and secondary (P&S) syphilis cases in Chicago, which represents a 13 percent increase from the same period of 2019. Data for 2021 is unavailable at this time, as it is incomplete, public health officials said.

Between Sept. 9 and Nov. 4, 2021, five confirmed cases of P&S syphilis were diagnosed among African American males residing in the Roseland community area. All reported having oral sex with females who engage in sex work. Over the past three years, the median age of individuals diagnosed with P&S Syphilis in the 60628, 60619 and 60620 that comprise Roseland has gone up from 28 in 2019 to 34 in 2020-2021.

Medical providers serving the Roseland area are urged to conduct routine screening of and discuss transmission, signs and symptoms of primary and secondary syphilis with sexually active patients. CDPH is also asking medical providers to immediately identify and report all P&S syphilis cases via the Chicago Health Information Management System.

Syphilis is passed during vaginal, anal, or oral sex. The infection starts with a single painless lesion that develops within three or four weeks at the site of entry into the body, and often goes unnoticed. Even without treatment, the lesion will spontaneously heal, but left untreated, syphilis progresses to a non-itchy rash on the trunk of the body, palms of the hands or soles of the feet. Other traits of this stage include fever, headaches, muscle aches, sore throat, and fatigue. Syphilis is called The Great Imitator, as its symptoms can be confused with other conditions or get overlooked completely.

Without proper treatment, syphilis can progress to the latent stages and may cause serious health consequences, including neurological damage, blindness, dementia, permanent damage to other vital organs, and death. For pregnant women, syphilis can cause permanent harm or death to a fetus. Syphilis also makes it easier to acquire or transmit HIV.

If detected early, syphilis can be cured with penicillin. CDPH urges individuals experiencing symptoms of syphilis to be evaluated by a doctor immediately.

The public health department urges anyone who believes they’ve been exposed to syphilis or notices symptoms, to get tested for it. CDPH offers free testing for sexually transmitted infections at its specialty clinics, including one in Roseland, at 200 E. 115th St.

Additional information and testing site locations are available at the CDPH website, from the Centers for Disease Control, or by talking to your medical provider:

Roseland STI Specialty Clinic
200 E. 115th St.
Phone: (312) 747-2817
Fax: (312) 747-2851
Mon. 8 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Thurs. 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.

South Austin STI Specialty Clinic
4958 W. Madison
Phone: (312) 746-4871
Fax: (312) 746-4637
Mon., Wed., Fri: 8 am - 4 pm
Tues., Thurs.: 9am - 5pm

Lakeview STI Specialty Clinic
2861 N. Clark
Phone: (312) 744-5507
Fax: (312) 744-2573
Mon., Wed., Fri: 8 am - 4 pm
Tues., Thurs.: 9am - 5pm