Facebook, Security and Syphilis

Facebook Linked to Syphilis Increase

Devastating social disease surging through social networking sites

‘Connect and Share.’ Facebook Homepage (partial image). Image [and the one-liner] may be subject to copyright.

Facebook is linked to a resurgence in syphilis, a potentially deadly sexually-transmitted disease, health experts say.

Cases of syphilis have increased fourfold in 3 areas of Britain where Facebook is most popular: Sunderland, Durham and Teesside.

Professor Peter Kelly, director of public health in Teesside, asserted that his staff had found a link between social networking sites like Facebook and the spread of the syphilis bacteria, especially among young females.

Vaginal syphilis (disturbing image). Mature readers may click to enlarge image.

This patient presented with a case of secondary syphilis manifested as perinal wart-like growths. This patient with secondary syphilis manifested perineal condylomata lata lesions, which presented as gray, raised papules that sometimes appear on the vulva or near the anus, or in any other warm intertriginous region. Source CDC. See also CDC Syphilis Fact Sheet

Professor Peter Kelly said:

“Syphilis is a devastating disease. Anyone who has unprotected sex with casual partners is at high risk.

“There has been a fourfold increase in the number of syphilis cases detected with more young women being affected.

“I don’t get the names of people affected, just figures, and I saw that several of the people had met sexual partners through these sites.

“Social networking sites are making it easier for people to meet up for casual sex.”

Some 30 cases of syphilis were recorded In Teesside last year,  however the true figures are thought to be much higher.

Young people in the three areas of Durham, Sunderland and Teesside were 25 per cent more likely to join social networking sites than the same age group in other parts of Britain, research shows.

Facebook said: “The assertion that Facebook is responsible for the transmission of syphilis is ridiculous. Facebook is no more responsible for STD transmission than newspapers responsible for bad vision. Today’s reports exaggerate the comments made by the professor, and ignore the difference between correlation and causation.

“As Facebook’s more than 400 million users know, our website is not a place to meet people for casual sex – it’s a place for friends, family and co-workers to connect and share.”

Syphilis

Syphilis is a sexually transmitted disease caused by the spirochetal bacterium Treponema pallidum subspecies pallidum. Syphilis is transmitted almost always through sexual contact, a few cases of congenital syphilis via transmission from mother to child in utero have been recorded.

While syphilis is generally treatable with antibiotics, it can damage the aorta, bones, brain, eyes and heart, sometime fatally, if  left untreated.

Syphilis Bacteria: Treponema pallidum spirochetes

Histopathology showing Treponema pallidum spirochetes. Modified Steiner silver stain. Histopathology showing Treponema pallidum spirochetes in testis of experimentally infected rabbit. Modified Steiner silver stain. Syphilis. Content Providers(s): CDC/Dr. Edwin P. Ewing, Jr.

A 23-year-old homosexual man had an intensely pruritic, papulonodular eruption over his arms and back. Dermatologic manifestations are the hallmark of secondary syphilis. Copper-red papules are most common, but macular, pustular, acneiform, psoriasiform, nodular, annular, or follicular variants can appear. The lesions characteristically do not itch, but as shown in the first patient, pruritus can be the dominant clinical feature.  Photo: Herbert L. Fred, MD, Hendrik A. van Dijk. Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share

The Issue with Facebook is the risk to health and safety of your community. Google, on the other hand, is a major threat to the national security.

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