Epidemiological analysis of congenital syphilis in the Northern region from 2017 to 2021

*Correspondence: [e-mail].

Abstract

Background: Congenital syphilis is a disease caused by Treponema pallidum, which infects pregnant woman and is transmitted transplacentally. The current recommendation in Brazil is to perform the VDRL test in the first and last trimester of pregnancy, during prenatal care. If the test is positive, treatment with penicillin should be started as soon as possible, considering the beneficial effects for both fetus and the mother (Category B). Inadequate or late treatment can lead to miscarriage, acute complications, and prematurity. In addition, the newborn may present significant neurological problems, divided into early and late stages, with the former consisting of abnormalities in cerebrospinal fluid with reactivity of VDRL and proteinorrhea, the latter can be seen through developmental delay, seizures, and hydrocephalus.

Objective: To analyze the epidemiological profile of congenital syphilis in northern Brazil, assessing its prevalence in the states and which would be the most affected.

Methods: The study was done by a retrospective analysis based on data from the Information System on Notifiable Diseases (SINAN) obtained through the Health Information System of DATASUS. Inclusion criteria included confirmed cases in all Northern states from 2017 to 2021, in the age group 0-12 years.

Results: 9,464 confirmed cases of congenital syphilis were reported in the Northern region from 2017 to 2021 in children aged 0-12 years. 40.03% of cases were in the state of Pará (PA), 30.51% in Amazonas (AM), 12.46% in Tocantins (TO), 5.49% in Amapá (AP), 4.5% in Rondônia (RO), 4.02% in Acre (AC), and 2.99% in Roraima (RR). Among the states with the highest percentage, in Pará, the year with the highest number of notifications was 2019, with 945 cases. While in Amazonas and Tocantins, it was in 2017, with 804 and 288 cases reported, respectively.

Conclusion: The study concluded that congenital syphilis is a serious health problem to both mother and newborns. Despite being a systemic disease, it can affect various organs, including the nervous system. It has high prevalence in the Northern region of Brazil, this scenario highlights the need for more information on the importance of prenatal care to be disseminated in this population.

Publication History

Article published online:
12 May 2025