Brief Report: Trends of Congenital Syphilis among Neonates in Canada 2012-2023

Affiliations

¹ Centre for Surveillance and Applied Research, Public Health Agency of Canada, Ottawa, ON, Canada.
² School of Public Health Sciences, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ON, Canada.
³ Surveillance Systems and Data Management Division, Public Health Agency of Canada, Ottawa, ON, Canada.
⁴ Department of Paediatrics, The Hospital for Sick Children, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.
⁵ Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada.
⁶ Department of Neonatology, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, Canada.
⁷ Centre for Communicable Diseases and Infection Control, Public Health Agency of Canada, Ottawa, ON, Canada.
⁸ Department of Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Occupational Health, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada.
⁹ Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, IWK Health Centre, Halifax, NS, Canada.
¹⁰ Saskatchewan Health Authority Maternal and Children's Provincial Program, Saskatchewan Health Authority, Regina, SK, Canada.
¹¹ Department of Pediatrics, Mount Sinai Hospital and University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.

PMID: 40474941
PMCID: PMC12140057
DOI: 10.1016/j.jpedcp.2025.200146

Brief Report: Trends of Congenital Syphilis among Neonates in Canada 2012-2023

Chantal R M Nelson et al. J Pediatr Clin Pract. 2025.

. 2025 Apr 30:16:200146.

doi: 10.1016/j.jpedcp.2025.200146. eCollection 2025 Jun.

Authors

Affiliations

¹ Centre for Surveillance and Applied Research, Public Health Agency of Canada, Ottawa, ON, Canada.
² School of Public Health Sciences, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ON, Canada.
³ Surveillance Systems and Data Management Division, Public Health Agency of Canada, Ottawa, ON, Canada.
⁴ Department of Paediatrics, The Hospital for Sick Children, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.
⁵ Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada.
⁶ Department of Neonatology, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, Canada.
⁷ Centre for Communicable Diseases and Infection Control, Public Health Agency of Canada, Ottawa, ON, Canada.
⁸ Department of Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Occupational Health, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada.
⁹ Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, IWK Health Centre, Halifax, NS, Canada.
¹⁰ Saskatchewan Health Authority Maternal and Children's Provincial Program, Saskatchewan Health Authority, Regina, SK, Canada.
¹¹ Department of Pediatrics, Mount Sinai Hospital and University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.

PMID: 40474941
PMCID: PMC12140057
DOI: 10.1016/j.jpedcp.2025.200146

Abstract

In Canada, incidence of congenital syphilis significantly increased from 2018 to 2023. Supporting enhanced public health preventive interventions such as early screening and treatment, particularly for younger women in lower socioeconomic strata and those with a history of addictive substance use, may reduce congenital syphilis.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors have no conflicts of interest to declare.

Figures

**Figure**
Case counts and temporal trend of congenital syphilis in Canada (excluding Quebec), 2012-2023.

See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

1. Gilmour L.S., Walls T. Congenital syphilis: a review of global epidemiology. Clin Microbiol Rev. 2023;36:126. - PMC - PubMed
1. McDonald R. Vital signs: missed opportunities for preventing congenital syphilis—United States, 2022. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. 2023;72:1269–1274. - PMC - PubMed
1. Moore A., Freyne B., Nourse C. The global crisis of congenital syphilis: vulnerable and disenfranchised women most at risk. Res Rep Neonatal. 2023;13:65–79.
1. Hengel B., McManus H., Monaghan R., Mak D.B., Bright A., Tolosa X., et al. Notification rates for syphilis in women of reproductive age and congenital syphilis in Australia, 2011–2021: a retrospective cohort analysis of national notifications data. Med J Aust. 2024;221:201–208. - PubMed
1. Live births and fetal deaths (stillbirths), by place of birth (hospital or non-hospital) [homepage on the Internet] 2023. https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/t1/tbl1/en/tv.action?pid=1310042901

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Brief Report: Trends of Congenital Syphilis among Neonates in Canada 2012-2023

Affiliations

Brief Report: Trends of Congenital Syphilis among Neonates in Canada 2012-2023

Authors

Affiliations

Abstract

Conflict of interest statement

Figures

References

LinkOut - more resources

Full Text Sources