Columbus Public Health officials say the number of syphilis cases in Franklin County are up 40-percent over the past 18 months - a rate three-times higher than in the rest of the state. Assistant Columbus Health Commissioner Doctor Mysheika Williams Roberts says most of the cases involve gay men.
Roberts says health officials are tracking the cases and working with local doctors.
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Roberts says her agency is also conducting an internet campaign to educate the affected populations about the illness, how to prevent it, and where to seek treatment.