Homosexual and Bisexual Men Account for 75 Percent of Syphilis Cases: CDC

Graph provided by CDC indicates rising syphilis infections among homosexual and bisexual men. The politically correct CDC blames “homophobia” and “stigma,” in part, for the disproportionate homosexual disease rate. But the CDC also recommends frequent screenings for syphilis and other STDs for “men who have sex with men” — especially those “who have multiple or anonymous partners,” or practice homosexual sex in conjunction with illegal drugs like meth. Click to enlarge.

A new fact sheet put out by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports a “troubling rise in syphilis infections among gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men (MSM).” The federal health agency reports that MSM “account for three quarters (75 percent) of all primary and secondary syphilis cases.”

The CDC Fact Sheet, “Reported STDs in the United States: 2012 Data for Chlamydia, Gonorrhea and Syphilis,” states:

“Trend data show that men who have sex with men
(MSM)* account for three quarters (75 percent) of all
primary and secondary syphilis cases. Primary and
secondary syphilis are the most infectious stages of the
disease, and if not adequately treated, can lead to visual
impairment and stroke. Syphilis infection can also place
a person at increased risk for acquiring or transmitting
HIV infection. Surveillance data from several major cities
throughout the country indicate that an average of four
in 10 MSM with syphilis are also infected with HIV.”

The CDC reports an 11.1 percent rise in primary and secondary cases of syphilis from 2011 to 2012, with 15,667 reported cases in 2012. It states that the “rate increase was solely among men, particularly gay and bisexual men.”

As is typically the case, the (very pro-homosexual) CDC cites factors like “homophobia” and “stigma” to attempt to explain the high homosexual syphilis rates. The Fact Sheet states:

“Although a number of individual risk behaviors (such as higher numbers of lifetime sex partners or unprotected sex) contribute to disparities in the sexual health of MSM, other social and cultural factors may also play a role. For example, MSM with lower economic status may have limited access to health care and therefore may be particularly vulnerable to poorer health outcomes compared to other men. Complex issues like homophobia and stigma can also make it difficult for gay and bisexual men to seek appropriate care and treatment.”

Nevertheless, the CDC Fact Sheet’s own “Screening Recommendations” for homosexual and bisexual men point to high-risk practices among MSM, including sex with “multiple or anonymous partners” and having “gay” sex in conjunction with illicit drugs, as more salient factors behind the high STD rates:

Screening at least once a year for syphilis, chlamydia, gonorrhea, and HIV for all sexually active gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men (MSM). MSM who have multiple or anonymous partners should be screened more frequently for STDs (i.e., at 3-to-6 month intervals). In addition, MSM who have sex in conjunction with illicit drug use (particularly methamphetamine use) or whose sex partners participate in these activities should be screened more frequently.

— Peter LaBarbera, AFTAH