Alva Review-Courier -

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — State health officials say Oklahoma County is in the midst of the largest syphilis outbreak in recent state history.

The state Health Department's manager of HIV and sexually transmitted disease services, Kristen Eberly, said this is the largest number of cases connecting to the same infection she's seen in her 13 years with the department.

The outbreak comes as Oklahoma is also seeing a rising number of residents dying from heroine and methamphetamine overdose.

Health officials said drug abuse is one of the main contributing factors for the syphilis outbreak. Other risk f...