Syphilis increase prompts action

The number of syphilis cases in Jefferson County has grown from 24 in 2006 to more than 300 in 2008. That sharp increase prompted county officials to take action today announcing a "Stomp out Syphilis" campaign in the Golden Triangle. The announcement was made during a news conference downtown. "We want people to know what is it, how it's treated, and what the signs and symptoms are," says Ingrid Holmes, director of the Beaumont Health department.
The campaign is being sponsored by the Texas Department of State Health Services in collaboration with Beaumont, Orange, Port Arthur, and Hardin County health officials as well as the Centers for Disease Control and the Triangle AIDS Network. It will include radio and TV ads and community outreach. Syphilis is a very serious sexually transmitted disease. People with the disease are at a high risk of contracting HIV, the virus that causes AIDS. Officials are encouraging residents to get tested and to practice safe sex as a preventative measure. The news conference was attended by local health officials, Councilman Jamie Smith, and members of his fraternity, Omega Psi Phi, which is helping to get the word out.
For more information, call (409) 832-4000.