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Book

Congenital and Maternal Syphilis

Stephen W. Leslie  1 , Ruben Vaidya  2
In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2025 Jan.
.
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Book

Congenital and Maternal Syphilis

Stephen W. Leslie et al.
Free Books & Documents

Excerpt

Congenital and maternal syphilis is caused by the transmission of the spirochete Treponema pallidum from the mother to the fetus, resulting in a multitude of clinical presentations ranging from asymptomatic healthy babies to premature infants with a wide array of clinical signs and symptoms, at times resulting in stillbirth and perinatal death. The incidence of this disease is rising, with 2022 having the most cases since 1997. Congenital and maternal syphilis is a nationally reportable disease, with each case being detailed to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) by all 50 states. Appropriate prenatal care and early treatment are vital to avoiding the manifestations of congenital syphilis.

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Conflict of interest statement

Disclosure: Stephen Leslie declares no relevant financial relationships with ineligible companies.

Disclosure: Ruben Vaidya declares no relevant financial relationships with ineligible companies.

References

    1. Arnold SR, Ford-Jones EL. Congenital syphilis: A guide to diagnosis and management. Paediatr Child Health. 2000 Nov;5(8):463-9. - PMC - PubMed
    1. The Lancet Congenital syphilis in the USA. Lancet. 2018 Oct 06;392(10154):1168. - PubMed
    1. Gregory ECW, Ely DM. Trends and Characteristics in Maternal Syphilis Rates During Pregnancy: United States, 2016-2022. NCHS Data Brief. 2024 Feb;(496):1-8. - PubMed
    1. Franzen C. Syphilis in composers and musicians--Mozart, Beethoven, Paganini, Schubert, Schumann, Smetana. Eur J Clin Microbiol Infect Dis. 2008 Dec;27(12):1151-7. - PubMed
    1. Radolf JD. Treponema. In: Baron S, editor. Medical Microbiology. 4th. University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston; Galveston (TX): 1996. - PubMed

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