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 factors associated with the outbreak include exchanging sex for money or drugs, and having multiple sex partners.

Eighty residents between the ages of 14 and 47 have been infected over the past few months, The Oklahoman (http://bit.ly/2nh1lSE ) reported. The majority of those identified used drugs, including heroin and methanphetamine.

Health officials said it's important for residents to get tested for syphillis.

"We just want to help everybody, regardless of whether you're on drugs or not, we don't care," Eberly said. "We want to help get you treated and make you as healthy as we can."

Syphilis is a sexually transmitted disease passed through direct contact with a syphilitic sore, known as a chancre.

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Information from: The Oklahoman, http://www.newsok.com