Syphilis
Basics
Description
- Etiologic agent: Treponema pallidum
- Can be congenital or acquired
- Consider sexual abuse when syphilis diagnosed in young children.
- All confirmed cases should be reported to the local public health department.
Epidemiology
- Congenital syphilis
- Approximately 12.4 cases per 100,000 live births in 2015 (487 cases), mostly among blacks
- Case fatality rate 6%; 82% of deaths are stillborn.
- Occurs via vertical transmission and mostly transplacental, but natal transmission possible by contact with infectious lesions at time of delivery
- Fetal infection can occur at any time of gestation
- Acquired syphilis
- Sexually transmitted
- Highest among men who have sex with men (MSM)
- Often facilitates transmission and acquisition of HIV. All persons with syphilis should be tested for HIV.
- Open, moist mucocutaneous lesions are highly infectious for up to 24 hours after institution of treatment.
Risk Factors
- Congenital syphilis
- Lack of prenatal care
- Maternal use of illicit drugs
- Maternal HIV infection
- Acquired syphilis
- MSM
- HIV infection, especially among MSM
- Illicit drug use (especially crack cocaine)
- Sexual abuse
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Citation
Cabana, Michael D., editor. "Syphilis." 5-Minute Pediatric Consult, 8th ed., Wolters Kluwer, 2019. Pediatrics Central, peds.unboundmedicine.com/pedscentral/view/5-Minute-Pediatric-Consult/617729/all/Syphilis.
Syphilis. In: Cabana MDM, ed. 5-Minute Pediatric Consult. Wolters Kluwer; 2019. https://peds.unboundmedicine.com/pedscentral/view/5-Minute-Pediatric-Consult/617729/all/Syphilis. Accessed December 9, 2024.
Syphilis. (2019). In Cabana, M. D. (Ed.), 5-Minute Pediatric Consult (8th ed.). Wolters Kluwer. https://peds.unboundmedicine.com/pedscentral/view/5-Minute-Pediatric-Consult/617729/all/Syphilis
Syphilis [Internet]. In: Cabana MDM, editors. 5-Minute Pediatric Consult. Wolters Kluwer; 2019. [cited 2024 December 09]. Available from: https://peds.unboundmedicine.com/pedscentral/view/5-Minute-Pediatric-Consult/617729/all/Syphilis.
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