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. 2025 Jan 27:33:e2024637.
doi: 10.1590/S2237-96222024v33e2024637.en. eCollection 2025.

Temporal trends of the incidence rate of syphilis during pregnancy and congenital syphilis in São Paulo, Brazil, 2011-2023

[Article in English, Portuguese]
Beatriz Poddis Busquim E Silva  1 , Fernanda Penido Matozinhos  2 , Rafaela Siqueira Costa Schreck  2 , Fernanda Marçal Ferreira  3 , Camilla Pontes Bezerra  4 , Bárbara Tideman Sartório Camargo  5 , Thales Philipe Rodrigues da Silva  4
Affiliations

Temporal trends of the incidence rate of syphilis during pregnancy and congenital syphilis in São Paulo, Brazil, 2011-2023

[Article in English, Portuguese]
Beatriz Poddis Busquim E Silva et al. Epidemiol Serv Saude. .

Abstract
in English, Spanish

Objective: To analyze trends of syphilis during pregnancy and congenital syphilis, based on reported cases in São Paulo, Brazil, from 2011 to 2023.

Methods: Ecological time series study, based on data from Notifiable Health Conditions Information System records. The Prais-Winsten method was used to verify trends.

Results: 125,776 cases of syphilis during pregnancy and 42,418 cases of congenital syphilis were reported. Average annual percentage change (95%CI) in the syphilis during pregnancy incidence rate was 18.68 (95%CI 16.57; 20.84), pvalue < 0.001; while for congenital syphilis it was 11.99 (95%CI 7.00; 17.22), p-value < 0.001.

Conclusion: Incidence rates of syphilis during pregnancy and congenital syphilis showed significant increasing trends, which may be related to the increase in the former during the diagnosis period (1st trimester), demonstrating increased testing among pregnant women, clinical classification at the time of diagnosis (latent syphilis), as well as inefficiency of adequate treatment when diagnosis is late.

Objetivo: Analizar la prevalencia de sífilis gestacional y congénita, a partir de las notificaciones en San Pablo, Brasil, de 2011 a 2023.

Estudio de series de tiempo ecológicas, considerando el estado de San Pablo como unidad de análisis, a partir de registros del Sistema de Información de Enfermedades de Declaración Obligatoria. Para comprobar las tendencias se utilizó el método Prais-Winsten.

Se notificaron 125.776 casos de sífilis gestacional y 42.418 casos de sífilis congénita. La variación porcentual anual (IC95%) de la tasa de incidencia de sífilis gestacional fue de 18,68 (IC95% 16,57; 20,84), p-valor < 0,001; mientras que la de sífilis congénita fue de 11,99 (IC95% 7,00; 17,22), p-valor < 0,001.

El análisis de tendencia temporal mostró que las tasas de incidencia de sífilis gestacional y sífilis congénita evidenciaron tendencias crecientes significativas, que pueden relacionarse con el aumento en las proporciones de sífilis gestacional para el período gestacional del diagnóstico (primer trimestre), evidenciando un aumento en las pruebas entre mujeres embarazadas, la clasificación clínica al momento del diagnóstico (sífilis latente), así como la ineficacia del tratamiento adecuado con diagnósticos tardíos.

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Conflict of interest statement

CONFLICTS OF INTEREST: The authors have no conflicts of interest to declare.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1. Incidence rates of syphilis during pregnancy and congenital syphilis, São Paulo, Brazil, 2011-2022
Figura 1
Figura 1. Taxa de incidência de sífilis gestacional e congênita, São Paulo, 2011-2022
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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