In the last decade, however, syphilis has unexpectedly returned, driven by risky sexual behavior and outbreaks in major cities across Europe, including London, Amsterdam, Paris and Berlin.
Ӣ In Britain, syphilis cases have leapt more than tenfold for men and women in the past decade to 3,702 in 2006, according to the Health Protection Agency. Among men in England, the syphilis rate jumped from one per 100,000 in 1997 to nine per 100,000 last year.
Ӣ In Germany, the rate among men was fewer than two per 100,000 in 1991; by 2003, it was six per 100,000.
”¢ In France, there were 428 cases in 2003 ”” almost 16 times the number just three years earlier.
Ӣ In the Netherlands, cases doubled from 2000 to 2004. In Amsterdam, up to 31 men per 100,000 were infected, while the rate was much lower in other regions.
Similar trends have been seen in the United States.
http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/00053943.htm
Gives some good epidemiological history on why syphillis was becoming epidemic rather than endemic. Now apparently, the same behavioral issues are returning it to endemic status.
http://www.cdc.gov/std/stats/tablessyph.htm
Gives the US figures which in 2006 were up slightly at 12.5/100k, from middle 11’s/100k population.
If you play with fire you shall get burned!! or as it says in Scripture “..can a man take fire into his bosom and be not burned?..”