SCOTT BROCATO:

What are some of the key provisions in the updated public health order?

DR. MIRANDA DURHAM:

Well, what’s really new in this year’s public health order is the recommendation to screen all adults ages 18 to 50 for syphilis. In addition, it renews the mandate to test all pregnant women three times during pregnancy: at the first prenatal visit, at the third trimester, and again at delivery. And then it also encourages providers to test women who may not be in traditional prenatal care: test if they show up in an emergency room, Urgent Care, correction setting, we have other, less traditional medical settings.

SCOTT BROCATO:

What kind of statistics are we looking at as to the reason for the public health order being updated? Like, how much of an increase has there been in cases of congenital syphilis?

DR. MIRANDA DURHAM:

So in the last five years we’ve had a 660% increase in congenital syphilis. And, you know, both are syphilis rates in non-pregnant people, and our congenital syphilis rates just continue to rise.

SCOTT BROCATO:

Where does New Mexico rank nationally in cases for syphilis and congenital syphilis rates?

DR. MIRANDA DURHAM:

We are the state with the second highest congenital syphilis rate, and the second highest primary and secondary syphilis rate.

SCOTT BROCATO:

And do you have any theories as to what are the causes of these upticks in statistics?

DR. MIRANDA DURHAM:

You know, it’s a trend that’s seen across the United States, and I think there are a lot of thoughts about why it is. For one, what our statistics show is we’re not breaking the chain of transmission. And so we think one way to approach that is to test more, and just increase awareness across for both patients and for providers. But it is a complex problem, and it does intersect with other problems, like rising rates of homelessness, drug misuse and lack of access to care.

SCOTT BROCATO:

Let’s talk about fetal deaths. How many fetal deaths have been reported this year due to congenital syphilis?

DR. MIRANDA DURHAM:

So far in the. State we’ve had eight fetal deaths reported to us due to congenital syphilis.

SCOTT BROCATO:

And how long will the updated public health order remain in force?

DR. MIRANDA DURHAM:

So the public health order remains in force for a year. We did issue the first one on congenital syphilis in 2020, and have renewed it every year because we haven’t succeeded yet in turning the tide on congenital syphilis. So for the next year, at least.

SCOTT BROCATO:

Well, you mentioned making the public more aware. What are some ways that the NMDOH is doing that, or what other methods would you suggest can be done to make the public more aware of this?

DR. MIRANDA DURHAM:

It’s a good question. And I think, really, the situation warrants a national public health campaign about syphilis in New Mexico. We do have our We Love Healthy Babies campaign that has launched and will continue to raise awareness. It’s aimed at patients, encouraging them to talk to providers about syphilis and get tested. It’s an easy blood test and get treated. It’s a really easy treatment. Penicillin, an old antibiotic.

So I think the other thing is raising awareness among clinicians: I mean, for a long time syphilis just, you know, the rates were so low, none of us saw it in medical school. And now suddenly it’s back. So just getting it back on everyone’s radar, I think, is going to be important for tackling this problem.

SCOTT BROCATO:

Doctor Miranda Durham, chief medical officer with the New Mexico Department of Health, thank you for joining us today to talk about this.

DR. MIRANDA DURHAM:

Thanks so much for having me.