Syphilis rates are the highest they've been in years, according to USA Today.
The number of syphilis cases reported to the CDC grew from 63,453 cases in 2014 to 74,702 cases in 2015, an increase of 17.7 percent. Some public health experts tie the rise in syphilis prevalence to dating apps.
Here are four thoughts about the connection between dating apps and increasing syphilis rates.
1. In states like Massachusetts, all syphilis cases are reported to the state's public health department. This report is passed on to the CDC, where trained employees interview the individual about subsequent partners they may have transmitted the infection to. These employees then "discretely" notify the partners, in an effort to track and control transmission, USA Today reports.
2. Katherine Hsu, MD, medical director of the Massachusetts Department of Public Health's Division of STD Prevention & HIV/AIDS Surveillance, told USA Today this "on-the-ground" approach hasn't worked as well with the introduction of dating apps. Today, a patient may not be able to find their partners from the past 90 days, often because they only know limited information about them, such as a first name, profile photo or username.
3. Some dating apps are collaborating with public health departments to notify users about a potential STD. "Contact investigation has evolved where we use newer tools," Dr. Hsu told USA Today. "We will go on [social media], use public information and find ways to track people using their handles." However, even if a public health department has adequate information about a former partner, users frequently delete online profiles, posing another challenge.
4. There are other hypotheses for the rise in syphilis rates. Some public health departments have recently had to cut their STD prevention and treatment services, and individuals have also reported "more relaxed attitudes toward protection" since discoveries in HIV treatment, according to USA Today.