Congenital syphilis is an infection caused by the bacteria Treponema pallidum, which is transmitted from mother to baby, and can cause symptoms and signs such as wounds on the body, deafness, blindness, premature birth, yellow skin and eyes, miscarriage and, in more severe cases. serious, death.
The transmission of congenital syphilis to the baby can happen at any time during pregnancy or childbirth, being more common in women who have syphilis and who have not received treatment or do not receive treatment correctly.
Read too: Transmission of syphilis: how to catch it and how to protect yourself
Therefore, if congenital syphilis is suspected in a baby, it is recommended to consult a pediatrician to carry out a complete assessment of the child and indicate, if necessary, appropriate treatment, which is mainly done with penicillin injections.
Main symptoms
The main symptoms of congenital syphilis are:
- Skin wounds;
- Yellowish skin;
- Fever;
- Irritation and cracking around the mouth, genitals and anus;
- Low weight and/or height;
- Increase in the size of the liver or spleen;
- Bone changes
- Runny nose.
In the case of late congenital syphilis, the child may experience difficulty hearing, deafness, blindness, mental retardation, hydrocephalus, seizures, deformed teeth, mucus around the anus and vagina, and scars around the mouth, genitals and anus.
According to the age at which symptoms begin, congenital syphilis can be classified as early, when symptoms appear soon after birth or up to 2 years, and late, when they appear after 2 years.
How the diagnosis is made
The diagnosis of congenital syphilis is made by an obstetrician or pediatrician, through evaluation of the health history and symptoms presented by mother and baby.
If you want to confirm the risk of congenital syphilis, make an appointment with the pediatrician closest to you:
In addition, to confirm the diagnosis, the doctor also requests tests such as cerebrospinal fluid, microscopic examination of the child’s coryza, x-ray of the chest and long bones, serology for treponemal antibodies and VDRL test, a test indicated to diagnose syphilis.
However, diagnosing congenital syphilis in babies can be difficult because there may be positive results due to the passage of antibodies from mother to baby. Therefore, the definitive diagnosis must be made through evaluation of the mother’s health history and the treatment she received, and clinical, laboratory and imaging examinations of the newborn.
How the treatment is carried out
Treatment for congenital syphilis varies depending on the baby’s age and the mother’s treatment.
1. Newborn born to a mother with untreated or inadequately treated syphilis
This type of treatment is indicated when the woman has not been treated for syphilis or has been treated inappropriately. In these cases, treatment is carried out in one of the following ways:
- With positive VDRL and/or clinical, radiological and/or hematological changes, but without neurological problems: Injection of 50,000 IU/kg of crystalline aqueous penicillin every 12 hours for 7 days, followed by 50,000 IU/kg of crystalline aqueous penicillin every 8 hours after the first week or with procaine penicillin 50,000 units/kg/dose every 24 hours , intramuscularly for 10 days;
- With CSF changes or if it was not possible to collect cerebrospinal fluid: administer crystalline penicillin injection for 10 days, at a dose of 50,000 units/kg/dose every 12 hours in the first week of life and every 8 hours after the first week;
For newborns with negative VDRL, without clinical, radiological, hematological and CSF abnormalities, a single injection of 50,000 units/kg of benzathine penicillin is indicated.
2. Newborn born to a mother with adequately treated syphilis
When the mother is treated appropriately, the treatment indicated for the newborn includes:
- With positive VDRL higher than maternal and if there are no changes in the cerebrospinal fluid: treat with crystalline penicillin injection for 10 days, at a dose of 50,000 units/kg/dose every 12 hours in the first week of life and every 8 hours after the first week; Or treat with 50,000 units/kg/dose of procaine penicillin every 24 hours for 10 days. If the cerebrospinal fluid is altered, use only crystalline penicillin;
- With normal exams, no symptoms and a negative VDRL, equal to or lower than that of the mother: it just requires medical monitoring. When it is not possible to maintain medical supervision, a single injection of benzathine penicillin can be administered at a single dose of 50,000 units/kg per.
In any case, if treatment is interrupted for more than 24 hours, it is recommended to restart the entire treatment.
3. Babies over 28 days old
The treatment of babies over 28 days old, with symptoms and with a serological test suggestive of congenital syphilis, is done with injections of crystalline penicillin G, every 4 hours and at a dosage of 50,000 IU/kg, for 10 days, or with injections of 50,000 IU/kg of penicillin G procaine, every 12 hours.
Is congenital syphilis curable?
Congenital syphilis is curable and the correct treatment can combat this disease within 12 to 15 months of starting treatment.
How to avoid congenital syphilis
To avoid congenital syphilis, it is essential to go to prenatal consultations regularly, where a syphilis test should be requested in the 1st and 3rd trimester of pregnancy or in risk situations.
Furthermore, it is important for pregnant women to use condoms during sexual intercourse. Pregnant women with syphilis must be treated and monitored appropriately, as well as their sexual partners, to avoid reinfection of the woman after treatment.
Watch the following video and understand better about syphilis:
