Abstract

MATOS MARENO, Cecilia del Carmen  and  PEREZ VERA, Luís Alfonso. Congenital syphilis in the Hospital Universitario de Santander, Bucaramanga (Colombia), 2006-2007. Rev. Univ. Ind. Santander. Salud [online]. 2013, vol.45, n.3, pp.71-76. ISSN 0121-0807.

Background: Congenital syphilis is increasing in Colombia despite of the program specifically designed for its control. Understanding the characteristics of affected individuals and their parents are of the essence for the implementation of control measures. Objective: Characterize the cases of congenital syphilis at Hospital Universitario de Santander in Bucaramanga, Colombia from June 2006 to September 2007. Materials and Methods: Prospective transversal study. Social, demographic, and clinical variables in newborn babies and their parents were analyzed. Results: 36 cases of congenital syphilis were found. Nine newborn babies showed symptoms (25%); 6 of them had a compromise of the Central Nervous System (16.7%) and 2 of them died (5.6%). 12 mothers (33.3%) were not under a prenatal control program. 16 of these mothers (44.4%) were not registered in the Social Security System. 3 mothers (8.3%) were positive for HIV; 6 mothers (16.7%) had a history of more than 9 sexual partners and 10 (27.8%) reported to have only 1 sexual partner; 8 mothers (22.2%) were drug addicts. Syphilis diagnosis was conducted on third trimester of pregnancy in 15 cases (41.7%) while 14 cases were detected after birth. 47.2% of the mothers did not receive any treatment during pregnancy (17 cases). Conversely, 25 fathers (69.5%) did not receive treatment against this condition. Conclusions: Persistence of congenital syphilis cases at Hospital Universitario de Santander is the result of the high percentage of mothers (among those who gave birth to children with congenital syphilis) that are not registered at the Social Security System or are not under any prenatal control. Furthermore, the late treatment of gestational syphilis as well as the lack of treatment of affected couples contribute also to this persistence of presentation. Correction of these variables would improve the situation

Keywords : Maternal syphilis; Congenital syphilis.

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