Syphilis continues to retreat : nation sets sights on elimination : CDC reports all-time syphilis lows and concentration in 1% of U.S. counties

Embargoed for Release: Thursday October 7, 1999 4 P.M. ESTContact: NCHSTP Office of Communications 404-639-8895Syphilis rates have declined an additional 19 percent in 1998 paving the way toward a nation\u2019s goal of elimination. The national rate of 2.6 cases per 100,000 population, a drop from 3.2 cases in 1997, is the lowest level ever recorded, according to new data released today by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).1999655