- Five women in the same area developed eye problems in the first six months of 2022
- If left untreated, syphilis can affect the eyes, inner ear, or central nervous system
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An unusual cluster of syphilis infections in patients’ eyes has emerged in Michigan, health officials said.
Five women from southwestern Michigan contracted syphilis eye infections after having unprotected sex with the same man they all met online, according to a report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Syphilis is a potentially fatal sexually transmitted bacterial infection that spreads through skin-to-skin contact with an infected wound – called a chancre – that develops around the genitals.
But if left untreated, the bug that causes the disease can spread to the eyes, inner ear, or central nervous system.
Syphilis, caused by the bacteria Treponema pallidum, is notoriously difficult to diagnose.
Syphilis in the eye occurs in only four percent of people with the infection
Five women from southwestern Michigan suffered syphilis eye infections after having unprotected sex with the same man. They had all met online
The symptoms are similar to other conditions: a runny nose and sore throat. Sufferers develop ulcers, even though they are small in size and are often ignored.
Unlike other sexually transmitted diseases that only affect the eye when it comes into contact with infected fluid, syphilis bacteria can travel through the bloodstream.
It can travel to other organs and body systems, including the nervous system, where it can cause a stroke, and to the eyes, which can lead to blindness.
According to the CDC, ocular syphilis can affect any part of the organ, but most commonly causes inflammation of the middle layer of the eye.
Symptoms may include red eyes, eye pain, sensitivity to light, abnormal eye movements, eye floaters (spots in vision that look like black or gray dots or threads floating across the eyes), and blurred or lost vision.
In January 2022, a man went to the emergency department complaining of genital ulcers. According to the latest CDC report, he was not tested for syphilis.
One of his female sexual partners was referred to hospital by an ophthalmologist in March 2022 after she complained of blurred vision and feared she was going blind.
She also had genital sores, which were misdiagnosed as herpes and treated with an antiviral drug.
Experts say this is a common mistake. Herpes is about ten times more common than syphilis.
About 55,000 Americans are diagnosed with syphilis each year 1.6 million cases of chlamydia – the most common STD.
In April 2022, another female patient was admitted to the same hospital with headaches, mild hearing loss and worsening blurred and double vision.
She had also slept with the same man.
In May, another female partner of the man went to a doctor with a rash all over the body and flaking skin on the palms of her hands.
She also had spots floating across her vision and a sensitivity to light.
A fourth woman was diagnosed with ocular syphilis in June, and a fifth case was spotted in a hospital ophthalmological clinic in July.
All women were between 40 and 60 years old.
The man in question was contacted repeatedly by phone and text message by disease intervention specialists from the Michigan Health Department.
He provided minimal information and said he had not responded to officials because of his travels.
He attended an appointment in May 2022 and was found to have no obvious signs of the infection as his ulcers had healed. He was diagnosed with early latent syphilis, with the STD having occurred within the past year.