Annual Summary of Disease Activity

Related Topics

Contact Info
Infectious Disease Epidemiology, Prevention and Control Division
651-201-5414
IDEPC Comment Form

Contact Info

Infectious Disease Epidemiology, Prevention and Control Division
651-201-5414
IDEPC Comment Form

Syphilis & Congenital Syphilis   
Annual Summary of Reportable Diseases

Syphilis is a sexually-transmitted infection (STI) that can cause serious health problems if not treated. Infection develops in stages and each stage can have different signs and symptoms. Surveillance data for primary and secondary syphilis are used to monitor morbidity trends because these represent recently acquired infections. Data for early syphilis (which includes primary, secondary, and early non-primary/non-secondary stages of disease) are used in outbreak investigations because these represent infections acquired within the past 12 months and signify opportunities for disease prevention. 

Published 8/15/2025

2023 Highlights

  • Primary and secondary syphilis cases decreased by 26% with 501 cases in 2023 compared to 676 in 2022.
  • Twenty-six cases of congenital syphilis in infants were reported in 2023. This is a 44% increase from 2022 when 20 congenital syphilis cases were reported.
  • While new infections continued to be centered within the Twin Cities metropolitan area, the presence of syphilis among females and people who can become pregnant continues to be of concern. 

Disease

2019

2020

2021

2022

2023

N

R

N

R

N

R

N

R

N

R

Syphilis, Total

1127

20.2

1093

19.1

1457

25.5

1832

32.1

1621

28.4

 

Primary/Secondary

385

6.9

461

7.3

564

9.9

676

11.8

501

8.7

 

Early NP/NS*

367

6.7

365

6.4

415

7.3

535

9.4

371

6.5

 

Unknown/Late

354

6.4

303

5.3

463

8.1

601

10.5

723

12.6

 

Congenital**

21

32.3

7

11.2

15

23.6

20

31.7

26

42.7

N=Number; R=Rate
NP=Non-primary; NS=Non-secondary
Congenital syphilis rate per 100,000 live births.
Note: Data exclude cases diagnosed in federal or private correctional facilities. 2022 intercensal estimates used to compute rates.

Category

Primary/Secondary Syphilis

N

R

Total

501

8.8

Residence

Minneapolis

184

43.3

St. Paul

63

20.8

Suburban**

135

5.6

Greater Minnesota

119

4.6

Age

<15 years

1

0.1

15-19 years

24

6.4

20-24 years

57

15.4

25-29 years

63

17.4

30-34 years

90

23.7

35-39 years

84

21.3

40-44 years

53

14

45-49 years

31

9.7

50-54 years

24

7.1

55+ years

74

4.3

Gender

Male

357

12.4

Female

144

5.1

Other/unknown^^

0

x

Race^/Ethnicity

White, non-Hispanic

280

4.1

Black, non-Hispanic

188

45.4

American Indian/ Alaska Native

60

66.8

Asian/PI

18

3.8

Other^^

36

x

Unknown^^

10

x

Hispanic^^

84

14.1

N=Number; R=Rate
* Residence information missing for 96 cases of chlamydia and 19 cases of gonorrhea.
** Suburban is defined as the metropolitan area (Anoka, Carver, Dakota, Hennepin, Ramsey, Scott, and Washington Counties), excluding the cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul.
^ Case counts include persons by race alone. Population counts used to calculate results include race alone or in combination.
^^ No comparable population data available to calculate rates.
^^^ Persons of Hispanic ethnicity may be of any race.
Note: Data exclude cases diagnosed in federal or private correctional facilities. 2022 intercensal estimates used to compute rates.

The incidence of primary/secondary syphilis in Minnesota is lower than that of chlamydia or gonorrhea (Title of Table).  Historically, syphilis cases increased during an outbreak in 2002 among men who have sex with men (MSM) and the rate has remained elevated since then. In 2023, there were 502 cases of primary/secondary syphilis in Minnesota (8.8 cases per 100,000 persons), which is a 26% decrease compared to 2022.  

In 2023, the number of early syphilis cases decreased by 26%, with 889 cases, compared to 1,211 cases in 2023. The incidence remains highly concentrated among MSM. Of the early syphilis cases in 2023, 621 (69%) occurred among men; 343 (55%) of these were MSM. Forty-eight percent of the MSM diagnosed with early syphilis were co-infected with HIV. The number of reported cases in women has continued to increase over the past 10 years from 41 early syphilis cases in 2014 to the near historic high of 268 cases reported in 2023.

Twenty-nine congenital syphilis cases were reported in 2023. Syphilis may be passed from a pregnant person to the unborn baby through the placenta. The infection can cause miscarriages and stillbirths. Infants born with congenital syphilis can suffer a variety of serious health problems, including deformities, seizures, anemia, and jaundice. Nationally, the number of infants born with syphilis has increased more than 200% in the past four years and last year reached a 20-year high. In Minnesota, the number and rate of congenital syphilis cases among infants has increased from zero congenital cases in 2014 to 29 cases in 2023, with a rate of 47.6 per 100,000 live births in 2023. 

More about Syphilis 

For up to date information:

Archive of Syphilis Annual Summaries

Surveillance data for primary and secondary syphilis are used to monitor morbidity trends because these represent recently acquired infections. Data for early syphilis (which includes primary, secondary, and early non-primary/ non-secondary stages of disease) are used in outbreak investigations because these represent infections acquired within the past 12 months and signify opportunities for disease prevention. 

The incidence of primary/secondary syphilis in Minnesota is lower than that of chlamydia or gonorrhea (Table 3), but has remained elevated since an outbreak began in 2002 among men who have sex with men (MSM). In 2022, there were 676 cases of primary/secondary syphilis in Minnesota (12.7 cases per 100,000 persons), which is a 20% increase compared to 2021. 

In 2022, the number of early syphilis cases increased by 24%, with 1,211 cases, compared to 979 cases in 2021. The incidence remains highly concentrated among MSM. Of the early syphilis cases in 2022, 866 (71%) occurred among men; 511 (59%) of these were MSM. Thirtyone percent of the MSM diagnosed with early syphilis were co-infected with HIV. The number of reported cases in women has continued to increase over the past 10 years from 18 early syphilis cases in 2012 to the near historic high of 345 cases reported in 2022. 

Twenty congenital syphilis cases were reported in 2022. Syphilis may be passed from a pregnant person to the unborn baby through the placenta. The infection can cause miscarriages and stillbirths. Infants born with congenital syphilis can suffer a variety of serious health problems, including deformities, seizures, anemia, and jaundice. Nationally, the number of infants born with syphilis has increased more than 200% in the past four years and last year reached a 20- year high. In Minnesota, the number and rate of congenital syphilis cases among infants has increased from 15.1 in 2018 to 31.7 per 100,000 live births in 2022

  • For up to date information see: Syphilis

Surveillance data for primary and secondary syphilis are used to monitor morbidity trends because these represent recently acquired infections. Data for early syphilis (which includes primary, secondary, and early non-primary/ non-secondary stages of disease) are used in outbreak investigations because these represent infections acquired within the past 12 months and signify opportunities for disease prevention. 

The incidence of primary/secondary syphilis in Minnesota is lower than that of chlamydia or gonorrhea (Table 3), but has remained elevated since an outbreak began in 2002 among men who have sex with men (MSM). In 2021, there were 564 cases of primary/secondary syphilis in Minnesota (10.6 cases per 100,000 persons), which is a 35% increase compared to 2020. 

In 2021, the number of early syphilis cases increased by 25%, with 979 cases, compared to 783 cases in 2020. The incidence remains highly concentrated among MSM. Of the early syphilis cases in 2021, 723 (73%) occurred among men; 444 (61%) of these were MSM. Thirty-one percent of the MSM diagnosed with early syphilis were co-infected with HIV. The number of women reported has continued to increase over the past 10 years from 13 early syphilis cases in 2011 to the near historic high of 253 cases reported in 2021. 

14 congenital syphilis cases were reported in 2021. Syphilis may be passed from a pregnant person to the unborn baby through the placenta. The infection can cause miscarriages and stillbirths. Infants born with congenital syphilis can suffer a variety of serious health problems, including deformities, seizures, anemia, and jaundice. The CDC reported this fall that the number of infants born with syphilis has increased more than 200% in the past four years and last year reached a 20- year high. In Minnesota, the number and rate of congenital syphilis cases among infants has increased from 2.9 in 2015 to 23.6 per 100,000 live births in 2021.

  • For up to date information see: Syphilis

Surveillance data for primary and secondary syphilis are used to monitor morbidity trends because these represent recently acquired infections. Data for early syphilis (which includes primary, secondary, and early non-primary/non-secondary stages of disease) are used in outbreak investigations because these represent infections acquired within the past 12 months and signify opportunities for disease prevention. 

Primary and Secondary Syphilis 

The incidence of primary/secondary syphilis in Minnesota is lower than that of chlamydia or gonorrhea (Table 3), but has remained elevated since an outbreak began in 2002 among men who have sex with men (MSM). In 2020, there were 416 cases of primary/secondary syphilis in Minnesota (7.8 cases per 100,000 persons), which is an 8% increase compared to 2019. 

Early Syphilis 

In 2020, the number of early syphilis cases increased by 13%, with 783 cases, compared to 753 cases in 2019. The incidence remains highly concentrated among MSM. Of the early syphilis cases in 2020, 619 (79%) occurred among men; 407 (65%) of these were MSM; with 30% of the MSM diagnosed with early syphilis that were co-infected with HIV. However, the number of women reported has continued to increase over the past 10 years from 14 early syphilis cases in 2010 to the near historic high of 163 cases reported in 2020. 

Congenital Syphilis 

Seven congenital syphilis cases were reported in 2020. Syphilis may be passed from a pregnant person to the unborn baby through the placenta. The infection can cause miscarriages and stillbirths, and infants born with congenital syphilis can suffer a variety of serious health problems, including deformities, seizures, anemia, and jaundice. The CDC reported that the number of infants born with syphilis has doubled since 2015 and in 2019 reached a 20-year high. In Minnesota, the number and rate of congenital syphilis cases among infants has increased from 2.9 in 2015 to 11.2 per 100,000 live births in 2020.

  • For up to date information see: Syphilis

Surveillance data for primary and secondary syphilis are used to monitor morbidity trends because these represent recently acquired infections. Data for early syphilis (which includes primary, secondary, and early non-primary/non-secondary stages of disease) are used in outbreak investigations because these represent infections acquired within the past 12 months and signify opportunities for disease prevention.

Primary and Secondary Syphilis

The incidence of primary/secondary syphilis in Minnesota is lower than that of chlamydia or gonorrhea (Table 3), but has remained elevated since an outbreak began in 2002 among men who have sex with men (MSM). In 2019, there were 385 cases of primary/secondary syphilis in Minnesota (7.3 cases per 100,000 persons), which is a 32% increase compared to 2018.

Early Syphilis

In 2019, the number of early syphilis cases increased by 30%, with 752 cases, compared to 578 cases in 2018. The incidence remains highly concentrated among MSM. Of the early syphilis cases in 2019, 574 (76%) occurred among men; 396 (68%) of these were MSM; with 39% of the MSM diagnosed with early syphilis that were co-infected with HIV. However, the number of women reported has continued to increase over the past 10 years from 9 early syphilis cases in 2009 to the highest number of cases reported in 2019 at 173.

Congenital Syphilis

Twenty-one congenital syphilis cases were reported in 2019, which is the highest number of cases reported for Minnesota in more than 50 years. Syphilis may be passed from a pregnant person to the unborn baby through the placenta. The infection can cause miscarriages and stillbirths, and infants born with congenital syphilis can suffer a variety of serious health problems, including deformities, seizures, anemia, and jaundice. The CDC reported that the number of infants born with syphilis has nearly tripled since 2015 and in 2018 reached a 20-year high. In Minnesota, the number and rate of congenital syphilis cases among infants has increased years from 2 in 2015 to 32.3 per 100,000 live births in 2019.

  • Find up to date information at>> Syphilis

Surveillance data for primary and secondary syphilis are used to monitor morbidity trends because these represent recently acquired infections. Data for early syphilis (which includes primary, secondary, and early latent stages of disease) are used in outbreak investigations because these represent infections acquired within the past 12 months and signify opportunities for disease prevention.

Primary and Secondary Syphilis

The incidence of primary/secondary syphilis in Minnesota is lower than that of chlamydia or gonorrhea (Table 3), but has remained elevated since an outbreak began in 2002 among men who have sex with men (MSM). In 2018, there were 292 cases of primary/secondary syphilis in Minnesota (5.5 cases per 100,000 persons), which is the same number of cases and rate as in 2017.

Early Syphilis

In 2018, the number of early syphilis cases decreased by 4%, with 578 cases, compared to 605 cases in 2017. The incidence remains highly concentrated among MSM. Of the early syphilis cases in 2018, 484 (84%) occurred among men; 363 (62%) of these were MSM; with 39% of the MSM diagnosed with early syphilis that were co-infected with HIV. However, the number of women reported has continued to increase over the past 10 years from 5 early syphilis cases in 2008 to the highest number of cases reported in 2018 at 94.

Congenital Syphilis

Ten congenital syphilis cases were reported in 2018, which is the highest number of cases reported for Minnesota in more than 50 years. Syphilis may be passed from a pregnant person to the unborn baby through the placenta.The infection can cause miscarriages and stillbirths, and infants born with congenital syphilis can suffer a variety of serious health problems, including deformities, seizures, anemia, and jaundice. The CDC reported that the number of infants born with syphilis has more than doubled in the past 4 years and last year reached a 20-year high. In Minnesota, the number and rate of congenital syphilis cases among infants has increased over the past 5 years from 0 in 2014 to 15.1 per 100,000 live births in 2018.

  • For up to date information see>> Syphilis
Tags
Last Updated: 08/15/2025