Congenital syphilis on the rise locally and nationwide
According to the Shelby County Health Department Office of Epidemiology, congenital syphilis rates in the county more than doubled over the five-year period from 2017 to 2021. (Mark Weber/The Daily Memphian file)
For infants born with the infection, severe symptoms can include cerebral palsy, hydrocephalus, permanent hearing loss and musculoskeletal deformity.
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Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital Dr. Nick Hysmith Dr. Sara Cross Syphilis Shelby County Health Department Subscriber OnlyWill you help us reach more Memphians with quality, in-depth local news?
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Aisling Mäki
Aisling Mäki covers health care, banking and finance, technology and professions. After launching her career in news two decades ago, she worked in public relations for almost a decade before returning to journalism in 2022.
As a health care reporter, she’s collaborated with The Carter Center, earned awards from the Associated Press and Society of Professional Journalists and won a 2024 Tennessee Press Association first-place prize for her series on discrepancies in Shelby County life expectancy by ZIP code.
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