Serving Clovis, Portales and the Surrounding Communities
Serving Clovis, Portales and the Surrounding Communities
ALBUQUERQUE — New Mexico had the second highest syphilis rate in the United States in 2022 and ranked highest in the nation for congenital syphilis – an infection that occurs when a mother passes syphilis on to their fetus through pregnancy, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Syphilis is a sexually transmitted disease caused by a bacteria that produces sores on the infected person. If left untreated, the bacteria can invade the nervous system, according to the CDC. Syphilis cases are rare but increasing, as seen in CDC data.
In response to increasing rates of syphilis, the New Mexico Department of Health renewed and updated a public health order in October 2023. The order increases syphilis testing for all pregnant individuals and recommends that all adults aged 18-50 be tested at least once before October 2024.
