Congenital syphilis is a serious infection that occurs when a mother with untreated syphilis passes the infection to her baby during pregnancy or at birth. It is caused by the bacterium Treponema pallidum. The infection can affect the fetus in the womb or the newborn, with symptoms and severity varying based on the timing and treatment status of the maternal infection. Key points about congenital syphilis:
- It is transmitted from an infected mother to her baby through the placenta or at birth.
- The infection can lead to poor fetal growth, premature birth, stillbirth, or infant death.
- Newborns may initially show no signs but can develop symptoms such as rash, fever, large liver and spleen, runny nose, bone inflammation, jaundice, pneumonia, meningitis, and deformities of bones and facial features.
- If untreated, children can develop severe late complications such as skeletal deformities, intellectual disability, hearing or vision loss, and seizures.
- Congenital syphilis can be prevented by early detection and treatment of syphilis in pregnant women, ideally before the second trimester.
- Treatment with penicillin is effective, but rising cases are linked to delayed testing or inadequate treatment.
Overall, congenital syphilis is a multisystem disease that can be life- threatening or severely disabling if not properly managed, but it is preventable and curable with timely prenatal care and antibiotic treatment. This condition is a major public health concern, being a leading cause of preventable stillbirth globally and causing thousands of cases and infant deaths each year worldwide. If you want, I can provide more detailed information on symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment. Let me know!
