Health officials in Ohio County along with specialists from the state Bureau for Public Health are trying to discover why the Wheeling area has seen a significant increase in reported syphilis cases this year.

There have been at least seven cases of the sexually transmitted disease in the area this year, compared to zero in all of 2007.

Statewide, reported syphilis cases have been on the rise since 2003, but the unusual number of cases in the Wheeling area has officials worried.

The state is urging county health departments to offer syphilis tests to anyone at risk for sexually transmitted diseases.

Counties are also being asked to stock up on drugs that treat syphilis.