Congenital Syphilis

DEFINITION

Congenital Syphilis is an infection caused by the bacterium Treponema pallidum, which is passed from mother to fetus in the womb.

CAUSE

Congenital syphilis is a severe infection in infants, and often life threatening. Syphilis is caused by the bacterium Treponema pallidum. Mothers who are exposed to syphilis can transmit the disease to the fetus in the womb through the placenta.

The possibility of transmission from pregnant women who suffer from syphilis to the fetus through the placenta is by 60-80%. Transmission usually occurs in early-stage syphilis untreated. Nearly 50% of infants who are infected while in the womb die shortly before or after birth.

SYMPTOMS

Symptoms that can be found in the newborn:

- fussy

- fever

- Weight does not grow or fail to thrive

- Flat nose (saddle nose)

- Rash in the mouth, genitals and anus

- Small blisters (vesicles) on the palms and soles

- Copper-colored maculopapular rash on the face, palms, soles of the feet

- Discharge of mucus or mixed with blood from the nose

- Enlarged lymph nodes, liver and spleen

- His face looked like an old man

- Chapped lips

- From a bloody nose mucus

- Inflammation of the lining of the brain and eyes

- Seizures

- Hydrocephaly (enlargement of the brain cavity that contains the search result of increased pressure in the brain)

Symptoms in older infants and children:

- Bone pain

- Did not want to move because his limbs pain

- Abnormalities in the shins (saber shins)

- Swelling of the joints

- Hutchinson teeth (mottled teeth and shaped like a wedge)

- The formation of scar tissue at the wound in the mouth, genitals and anus (called ragade)

- mental retardation

- visual impairment

- Cornea cloudy

- Hearing loss or deafness

- Patches of gray as mucus in the anus and vulva (called condylomata lata)

Many children are suffering from syphilis kongenitalis remain in the latent stage and never show symptoms. In some children eventually will be symptoms such as:

- Open sores in the nose and on the palate

- Bumps that resemble the buttons on the leg bones and skull

- Deaf and blind

- Hutchinson teeth

DIAGNOSIS

Diagnosis is based on symptoms and examination results fiisk, possibly with a history of syphilis in the mother during pregnancy.

Tests done on the mother, among others:

- Test VDRL

- Fluorescence antibody test FTA-ABS

Examination of older infants or children:

- Serological tests for syphilis (VDRL and FTA-ABS)

- Examination microscope dark field of vision (to indicate the presence of T. pallidum)

- X-rays of the bone

TREATMENT

Once the diagnosis is confirmed, syphilis in babies need to be treated with antibiotics.

PREVENTION

Pregnancy tests are very important, which is usually performed routine serological tests for syphilis. Mothers who received treatment during pregnancy could prevent syphilis kongenitalis unborn baby.

REFERENCE

- G, John. Congenital Syphilis. Medline Plus. 2011.

- C, Mary T. Congenital Syphilis. The Merck Manual. 2013.