RICHMOND, Va. — The Virginia Department of Health has launched a new informational website to help combat a rise in syphilis cases.

According to the website, cases of the sexually transmitted infection rose 14 percent in the commonwealth between 2018 and 2022. So far this year, reported cases are up 22 percent over last year.

It’s not only adults, either. Stanford University infectious disease specialist Dr. Yvonne Maldonado told C-B-S News this month that a decline in prenatal testing and treatment has also caused a national spike in babies born with what should be a preventable disease.

She said that fewer moms are getting screened and treated for STI’s, which is translating to more infants being born with a disease that they inherited from their mother.