There's some good news about sexually-transmitted diseases in newly released U.S. health data. The syphilis epidemic slowed dramatically last year.

Summary

U.S. rates of syphilis and gonorrhea fell in 2022, marking significant progress in curbing sexually transmitted diseases after years of increases.

Syphilis cases in their most infectious stages dropped 10%, including a 13% decline among gay and bisexual men.

Experts attribute improvements to increased use of doxycycline as a “morning-after pill” for STDs, expanded testing and contact tracing, and a heightened focus on STD prevention.

However, syphilis cases in newborns rose, indicating gaps in prenatal testing. Funding cuts to STD prevention programs may challenge future progress.