Syphilis drug shortage adds urgency to free STD testing in eastern Idaho

POCATELLO — Southeastern Idaho Public Health (SIPH) will offer free testing for hepatitis C, HIV and syphilis throughout March at its clinics across the region.

Although the screenings are offered quarterly as a community service, SIPH officials say this campaign carries added urgency because of a nationwide shortage of Bicillin L-A, the primary antibiotic used to treat syphilis. This sexually transmitted disease is on the rise in eastern Idaho.

Bicillin L-A (benzathine penicillin G) is the only proven treatment that can safely cure syphilis by killing the bacteria during pregnancy and prevent transmission to an unborn baby.

Because alternatives are not considered adequate for protecting a fetus, health agencies are prioritizing available doses for pregnant patients as infections rise nationwide. Untreated syphilis during pregnancy can lead to miscarriage, stillbirth, premature birth or serious illness in newborns.

Ian Troesoyer, a nurse practitioner with Southeastern Idaho Public Health, said the shortage could limit treatment options for pregnant women in the near future.

“We’ve been informed of the Bicillin shortage. It’s a tricky situation,” Troesoyer said. “Bicillin could run out before 2027, and limited doses will be available.”

The CDC reports that nearly half of new sexually transmitted infections in the United States occur in people ages 15 to 24. Still, anyone who is sexually active — at any age — can be affected.

“Anyone having sex has a risk. Testing is the only way to know whether you may be infected,” he said.

Troesoyer said syphilis cases are increasing locally and represent the most common infection identified through the clinics’ testing program, followed by hepatitis C and HIV.

“We see a couple of cases of HIV every month,” he said. “While HIV is still incurable and can be devastating, it is definitely treatable.”

Troesoyer stressed that many sexually transmitted diseases are curable, and treatments are available for those that are not to manage symptoms and reduce transmission.

He said STDs often cause no symptoms or only mild ones, making it possible to be infected without realizing it, and encouraged anyone sexually active to get tested. Regular testing is the only way to know whether someone is infected.

No insurance is required for the free screenings, and there are no eligibility restrictions. Testing takes only a few minutes using a rapid finger-prick blood test, with results available before patients leave. Same-day appointments are also available.

While the free tests cover hepatitis C, HIV, and syphilis, testing for other sexually transmitted infections — including gonorrhea, herpes, trichomoniasis, human papillomavirus (HPV), and hepatitis B — is available, but there will be a charge.

Providers will be available to offer counseling and help develop treatment plans for anyone who tests positive.

Free screenings will be offered at all Southeastern Idaho Public Health clinics throughout the eight-county district. For more information on STDs or to make an appointment, contact a local clinic or visit SIPH STD Testing and Treatment.

Clinic Locations

Bannock County — Pocatello
1901 Alvin Ricken Drive, Pocatello, ID 83201
208-233-9080

Bear Lake County — Montpelier
431 Clay St., Montpelier, ID 83254
208-847-3000

Bingham County — Blackfoot
145 W. Idaho St., Blackfoot, ID 83221
208-785-2160

Butte County — Arco
178 Sunset Drive, Arco, ID 83213
208-234-5885

Caribou County — Soda Springs
55 E. 1st South, Soda Springs, ID 83276
208-547-4375

Franklin County — Preston
42 W. 1st South, Preston, ID 83263
208-852-0478

Oneida County — Malad
175 S. 300 East, Malad, ID 83252
208-234-5887

Power County — American Falls
590½ Gifford St., American Falls, ID 83211
208-226-5096

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