Características sociodemográficas y clínicas de la sífilis gestacional en Cali, 2018

Factors influencing the positivity of diagnostic tests for congenital syphilis

OBJECTIVE

The objective of this study was to analyze the factors that influence the positivity of treponemal and non-treponemal tests in cases of congenital syphilis.

METHODS

This cross-sectional and correlational study was carried out from the analysis of the database of Disease and Notification Information System (SINAN, in Portuguese) using the data obtained through the Epidemiological Surveillance Group 29, with 639 notifications of congenital syphilis between 2007 and 2018. The data were analyzed by a descriptive and inferential analysis from logistic regression with a significance level of 5% (p≤0.05).

RESULTS

The positivity of the treponemal test was higher by 4.5 times in infants living in rural areas and 19.6 times among those whose mothers obtained the diagnosis of syphilis after birth. The treponemal test showed positivity 3.2 times higher for the variable "having been diagnosed between 2007 and 2015" and 5.5 times higher for the variable "having been diagnosed with maternal syphilis in the postpartum period."

CONCLUSION

This study shows that testing during prenatal care is essential for early diagnosis and prevention of syphilis complications.

The association between non-viral sexually transmitted infections and pregnancy outcome in Latin America and the Caribbean: A systematic review

Introduction

Non-viral sexually transmitted infections are known to be associated with adverse pregnancy outcomes. For these pathogens, standard antenatal screening is not broadly performed in Latin America and the Caribbean. The aim of this study was to comprehensively review the association of non-viral sexually transmitted infections and neonatal outcomes among pregnant women in the region.

Methods

Four databases (PubMed, Embase, SciELO and LILACS) were examined to identify eligible studies published up to September 2022. English or Spanish cross-sectional, case-control and cohort studies assessing the association of non-viral sexually transmitted infections and adverse pregnancy outcomes were evaluated. Articles were firstly screened by means of title and abstract. Potential articles were fully read and assessed for inclusion according to the eligibility criteria. Snowballing search was performed by screening of bibliographies of the chosen potentially relevant papers. Risk of bias within studies was assessed using the Joanna Briggs Institute reviewer's manual.

Results

A selection of 10 out of 9772 search records from five Latin America and the Caribbean countries were included. Six studies associated Treponema pallidum infection with preterm birth (1/6), history of previous spontaneous abortion (2/6), fetal and infant death (1/6), low birth weight (1/6) and funisitis of the umbilical cord (1/6). Three studies associated Chlamydia trachomatis infection with preterm birth (2/3), ectopic pregnancy (1/3) and respiratory symptoms on the newborn (1/3). One study associated Mycoplasma genitalium infection with preterm birth.

Conclusion

This review provides evidence on the association of non-viral sexually transmitted infections with adverse pregnancy outcomes. Further investigation is needed to establish more associations between non-viral sexually transmitted infections and pregnancy outcome, especially for Mycoplasma genitalium, Trichomonas vaginalis and Neisseria gonorrhoeae. Overall, this review calls for more research for public health interventions to promote screening of non-viral sexually transmitted infections during pregnancy, among high-risk population groups of pregnant women living in the region.

Educational intervention improves knowledge and adherence to treatment amongst puerperal women with syphilis: randomized clinical trial

BACKGROUND

Gestational syphilis requires early detection and proper treatment to prevent negative maternal-fetal outcomes. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of an educational intervention on treatment adherence and knowledge about syphilis in postpartum women with positive Treponema pallidum results.

METHODS

A randomized, parallel, and open clinical trial was conducted with 64 postpartum women who tested positive for T. pallidum, assigned to two groups (1:1 ratio). The Intervention Group (IG) received an educational intervention on syphilis, including an explanatory leaflet and hands-on demonstrations, along with standard guidelines. The Control Group (CG) received standard guidelines alone. Pre-test and post-test assessments were conducted to measure knowledge and treatment adherence. Statistical analyses included descriptive and inferential methods, assessing group homogeneity using the Chi-square or Fishers exact test. The interventions effectiveness was determined using relative risk, and pre- and post-test scores were compared using the independent t test.

RESULTS

The post-test revealed improvements in knowledge scores for general knowledge, treatment, and prevention domains (p < .05). The IG demonstrated an increase in post-test knowledge scores (p = .001), with association between post-test scores and treatment adherence (p = .001).

CONCLUSION

The educational intervention on syphilis improved knowledge and treatment adherence in postpartum women with syphilis.

Prevention of multiple whole blood donations by an individual at the same month through the creation of a national Deferred Donor Registry (DDR)

INTRODUCTION

The Colombian National Institute of Health administers the National Information System of Haemovigilance (SIHEVI-INS). Today, SIHEVI-INS constitutes a national blood donor and recipient database, which contains a national deferred donor registry (DDR), allowing blood banks to take acceptance or rejection decisions of a potential donor in real time. The study aimed to determine the rate of people who have made more than one whole blood donation monthly in Colombia, violating the national guideline of intervals between donations (three months for men and four for women), since DDR implementation.

METHODS

We detected the unique personal identification number of people who, in 30 calendar days, made more than one whole blood donation at any of the 83 blood banks set up in Colombia. There were three comparison periods: 01/01/2018-08/31/2019 (launch of SIHEVI-INS and first national feedback); 09/01/2019-12/31/2020 (second feedback) and 01/01/2021-09/30/2022 (massive incorporation of web services).

RESULTS

For the first period, blood banks accepted 18.0 donations per 1000 people. There was a rate of 28.8 people/10,000 donations who had donated whole blood twice within 30 days. In the second period, there were 17.0 donations/1000 people and a rate of 2.1 people/10,000 donations (OR:14.0 CI95 %:12.2-16.0). For the last period, there were 18.2 donations/1000 people and a rate of 0.9 individuals/10,000 donations (OR:31.3 CI95 %:26.6-36.9, p < 0.001).

CONCLUSION

DDR reduced by 31 times the acceptance of blood donors who made more than one whole blood donation in the same month. It was necessary to provide periodic feedback and promote web service implementation to reduce this risky behavior.