Congenital syphilis

Ocular Involvement in Congenital Infections - TORCH

This review summarises the ophthalmological findings in congenital infections. Intrauterine infections are an important cause of childhood blindness. The most common infections are grouped under the acronym TORCH, which stands for Toxoplasma gondii, others, rubella, CMV, and herpes simplex. Overall, these infections are not very common in first-world countries during pregnancy, but are of particular importance because of the threat to vision. Diagnosis of infection or reactivation is a gynaecological challenge. However, ophthalmological examination of newborns can be appropriately targeted if the causative agent is known. The most important therapeutic agents used in the newborn are summarised.

Congenital syphilis confirmed by PCR as a result of treatment failure for syphilis in pregnancy. Case report

Introduction: Congenital syphilis is a major public health problem, and early diagnosis and treatment are necessary to prevent it. Penicillin G benzathine is the treatment of choice in pregnant women; however, it may fail to prevent fetal infection, as in the present case. Case presentation: Male newborn, son of an HIV negative mother with gestational syphilis (venereal disease research laboratory (VDRL) 1:4 dilution, positive treponemal test) diagnosed at week 21 of gestation and treated with three doses of 2 400 000 IU of penicillin G benzathine. At delivery, the mother presented VDRL 1:1 dilution. The newborn was diagnosed with congenital syphilis due to VDRL 1:4 dilution, positive treponemal test, elevated aspartate aminotransferases, hyposthenuria, proteinuria, hematuria, and leukocyturia that resolved after treatment with crystalline penicillin for 10 days. The molecular testing in blood showed a high treponemal load. The VDRL test at 3 months was non-reactive. Conclusions: Preventing congenital syphilis with the recommended treatment for gestational syphilis may fail. Moreover, diagnosing this condition in an asymptomatic newborn is difficult. Therefore, clinical and serological tests are recommended to confirm whether maternal treatment was effective in the fetus.

Adherence to the follow-up of the newborn exposed to syphilis and factors associated with loss to follow-up

Introduction

All newborns exposed to syphilis in pregnancy must have outpatient follow-up. The interruption of this follow-up especially threatens those children who were not treated at birth.

Objective

To describe the clinical, epidemiological, and sociodemographic characteristics of pregnant women with syphilis and their newborns, and to investigate the factors associated with the discontinuation of the follow-up.

Methods

This is an observational, descriptive, analytical, and retrospective study of medical records of 254 children exposed to syphilis, who were assisted at the Congenital Infectious Clinic of the university hospital of the Universidade Federal do Paraná, between 2000 and 2010. The newborns were classified by reference according to their follow-up. Data were analyzed by means of the binary logistic regression model in order to identify the factors associated to drop out.

Results

The factors associated to the interruption of the follow-up were maternal age over 30 years, mothers with 3 or more children, and the absence of cross-infections by HIV and/or viral hepatitis.

Conclusion

Such findings demonstrate the need to identify these families and implement strategies to promote the establishment of bonds. A greater rigor to indicate the treatment of the disease at birth is recommended, as most of them do not properly follow up.

Syphilis Infection during pregnancy: fetal risks and clinical management

Congenital syphilis is still a cause of perinatal morbidity and mortality. Untreated maternal infection leads to adverse pregnancy outcomes, including early fetal loss, stillbirth, prematurity, low birth weight, neonatal and infant death, and congenital disease among newborns. Clinical manifestations of congenital syphilis are influenced by gestational age, stage of maternal syphilis, maternal treatment, and immunological response of the fetus. It has been traditionally classified in early congenital syphilis and late congenital syphilis. Diagnosis of maternal infection is based on clinical findings, serological tests, and direct identification of treponemes in clinical specimens. Adequate treatment of maternal infection is effective for preventing maternal transmission to the fetus and for treating fetal infection. Prenatal diagnosis of congenital syphilis includes noninvasive and invasive diagnosis. Serological screening during pregnancy and during preconception period should be performed to reduce the incidence of congenital syphilis.

Congenital syphilis: a continuing but neglected problem

Congenital syphilis was rare in most affluent countries but there has been a slight resurgence recently in several European countries. In large parts of the world and particularly sub-Saharan Africa congenital syphilis is a significant public health problem. The cornerstone of congenital syphilis control is antenatal screening and treatment of mothers with penicillin, which is a cost-effective intervention. In affluent countries it should be strengthened among those at high risk. Clinicians should be more vigilant for the possibility of babies being born with congenital syphilis, which is often asymptomatic. In developing countries not only does antenatal care screening need to be strengthened by implementing point-of-care decentralised screening and treatment but alternative innovative approaches to controlling congenital syphilis should be explored. There is an urgent need for international health agencies to support focused approaches to tackling the tragedy of continuing congenital syphilis. This could be a part of a pro-poor strategy to meet the Millennium Development Goals.

Syphilis in Children: Congenital and Acquired

Syphilis rates in women and congenital syphilis rates have declined steadily in the United States in recent years. However, syphilis remains a worldwide public health problem, with more than 12 million cases in adults and more than half a million pregnancies affected yearly. Prenatal screening and treatment programs are limited or nonexistent in many developing countries. The genome of Treponema pallidum, one of the smallest among prokaryotes, has been sequenced, but methods for continuous in vitro cultivation of the microbe remain elusive. There are no promising candidates for future vaccines at this time. Serologic testing, for both specific treponemal and nontreponemal antibodies, continues to be a primary means of diagnosis. Penicillin remains the drug of choice for congenital and acquired syphilis in childhood. The diagnosis of syphilis beyond early infancy raises concerns for possible child sexual abuse, although progression of congenital syphilis may account for some cases. Syphilis is a potentially eradicable disease, but this can be achieved only with sustained international will and cooperation to fund the necessary screening and treatment programs.