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It's hard, in-the-trenches work" to control syphilis, said Thomas Dobbs, MD, MPH, an infectious diseases specialist and dean of the John D. Bower School of Population Health at the University of Mississippi Medical Center. In terms of Mississippi's maternal syphilis infections, "it's easy to see how we could represent what's coming for the rest of the country," said Dobbs, the study's senior author. "We're at the leading edge of health challenges." Preventable tragedies Maternal syphilis infections kill up to 40% of infected infants and can cause devastating health problems in those who survive, including blindness, hearing loss, joint pain, bone problems, scarring, and other issues. In the study, the highest risk of maternal syphilis was found in Black mothers, women aged 24 and under, unmarried women, and those without comprehensive prenatal care."