Epidemiological aspects of congenital syphilis in Brazil

Abstract

Congenital syphilis is an infection of multiple systems, caused by Treponema pallidum and transmitted to the fetus by the placenta. It is considered a serious public health problem due to its high prevalence and the possibility of serious complications. The present study aimed to quantify and analyze the reported cases of congenital syphilis in Brazil. It was a documentary, sectional, descriptive study with a quantitative approach. The notified cases of congenital syphilis were collected from the Informatics Department of the Unified Health System (DATASUS), through SINAN, having the following variables studied: year, prenatal care, diagnosis of maternal syphilis, treatment of the partner, classification end and evolution of cases. The data were organized and tabulated using the Microsoft Excel 2016® program. 108,118 cases of congenital syphilis were reported in Brazil in the period 2014-2018, and through these cases it was found that there is a gradual increase in the number of notifications over the years, being more prevalent in 2018 (24%). prenatal care was performed in most cases (80%). The diagnosis of maternal syphilis was made through prenatal care (55%). In many cases, the patient's partner was not treated (60%). Most cases corresponded to recent congenital syphilis (93%). The main outcome was live birth (87%). Given the above, it was possible to trace the epidemiological profile of congenital syphilis in Brazil, in addition to indirectly assessing the health service aimed at controlling this disease.