Question: Is there a syphilis outbreak in Hawaii?
Answer: Hawaii is among U.S. states with significantly increased cases, but the state Department of Health does not describe the rise as an outbreak. There were 201 transmittable cases reported in Hawaii in 2016, up from 32 in 2012.
Here is the full response from Janice Okubo, a Health Department spokeswoman:
“According to the Department of Health’s Harm Reduction Branch, syphilis is a treatable bacterial infection that is usually transmitted through sexual contact. Syphilis illness is divided into different stages. ‘Early syphilis’ is a collective term for the stages during which one person can transmit the infection to another.
“The number of syphilis cases has increased dramatically in recent years, in Hawaii and in many parts of the U.S. Confirmed cases of early syphilis in Hawaii for the most recent five years (2012-2016) rose steadily from 32, 68, 93, 149 to 201 cases.
“The Department of Health does not characterize these increases in syphilis cases as an outbreak. Hawaii’s data mirrors the increases seen in many other parts of the U.S. However, the increasing number of cases annually raises a call for increased prevention, screening and treatment, particularly for at-risk populations.
“Syphilis cases are known in Hawaii mostly from men. Among men, most cases are known from men who have men as their sexual partners. These individuals should be screened for syphilis several times a year or more depending on the degree of possible risk. An infected mother can share the infection with her child during pregnancy and at childbirth, and Sexually Transmitted Disease (STD) screening is routinely recommended. However, syphilis is overwhelmingly a sexually transmitted disease. Testing for syphilis is widely available in Hawaii. STD testing, in general, is recommended for anyone with symptoms of infection, with multiple sexual partners, or with a change in sexual partners when it is unknown whether the new partner may have an unrecognized infection. Undiagnosed and untreated syphilis can lead to a range of serious medical complications.
“Anyone with questions about syphilis screening should speak with a health-care provider or visit 808ne.ws/sypcdc and 808ne.ws/cdcsyp2.”
As the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention explains, syphilis can be cured with the right antibiotics, but individuals can be reinfected if they do not take precautions. Left untreated, the disease can spread to the brain and nervous system (neurosyphilis) or to the eye (ocular syphilis), with devastating results.
Q: What’s the office you can call to see if someone is licensed or not? I need a phone number, not a website.
A: Call the state Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs at 587-4272 to check on companies or individuals you are thinking of hiring.
Q: Are they bringing back public preschool?
A: Prekindergarten is available at 19 regular public schools in Hawaii, and five more will be added next school year, according to the state Department of Education. The program, which is in its fourth year, is a partnership between the DOE and the state Executive Office on Early Learning. Some public-charter schools also offer pre-K. Find more information at 808ne.ws/hiprek.
Mahalo
A heartfelt mahalo to the person who found my key ring — with my car key, house keys and other items — on Aug. 14 and placed them on the counter of the Pearlridge Macy’s jewelry department. I was able to retrieve them in the Macy’s lost and found department. I also appreciate the help of two friends who encouraged me to check with Macy’s lost and found. This strengthens our faith in God. — Helen
Write to Kokua Line at Honolulu Star-Advertiser, 7 Waterfront Plaza, Suite 210, 500 Ala Moana Blvd., Honolulu 96813; call 529-4773; fax 529-4750; or email kokualine@staradvertiser.com.
