Congenital Syphilis

Congenital Syphilis – General Information

The Congenital Syphilis is the syphilis (which is caused by the spirochete Treponema pallidum) which is present in the uterus at birth, and it is transmitted to the child at birth in the cases when the mother has secondary or tertiary syphilis. The untreated cases of syphilis can lead to Mulberry in the fetus, and can also cause miscarriages, premature births, stillbirths and even death of the newborns. Some of the children have symptoms of birth, but in the majority of the cases the symptoms develop later. The untreated newborns can develop deformities, delays in their development, seizures, rash, swollen liver, fever, pneumonia, bullous skin disease (also known as pemphigus syphiliticus) swollen spleen, jaundice and anemia. The primary symptoms may pass unseen in the newborns and begin to be visible in the late stage of this medical disorder when they can develop damage in their bones, eyes, ears, teeth and even brain.
As the newborns can be asymptomatic, the disease can only be identified on a routine prenatal screening. If the newborns are not properly treated they can develop rhinorrhea (also known as runny nose, is an unusually and significant amount of nasal discharge), and poor feeding. The early Congenital Syphilis usually develops in children with ages between 0 and 2 years, after this period they develop late Congenital Syphilis. In order to prevent this medical disorder the pregnant women should be tested for syphilis and retested if they develop other sexually transmitted disease during the pregnancy. In the majority of the cases an adequate treatment during the pregnancy cures both the mother and the fetus. In some cases in which the treatment is made in the late stage of pregnancy, the infection is eliminated but the signs of syphilis which develop after birth no.

Congenital Syphilis – Symptoms

It is well known the fact that any medical disorder (including Congenital Syphilis) can trigger a variety of symptoms. Therefore, some of this medical condition's most uncommon symptoms have not been listed (mentioned) here. This is why we strongly recommend you to contact your personal health care provider whenever you develop any unusual, bothersome or unpleasant symptoms. Your personal physician will be able to tell you if you are suffering from Congenital Syphilis or from any other medical disorder. Here is a list of the most common symptoms that a person who suffers from Congenital Syphilis, may experience:

• Head cold
• Crack on the lips and skin
• The becoming wet bubbles (also known as papules)
• Disseminated rash
• Wrinkled skin
• The surface of the lymph nodes is increased
• Increased liver
• Increased spleen
• Dysplasia
• Rougher
• General underdevelopment
• Anomaly of the development
• Saddle-shaped nose
• Periostitis
• Thickening and bend of the bones
• Narrowed pupils
• Uneven pupils
• Paralysis and paraded
• Diminished  tendinous reflexes
• Absence of the tendinous reflexes
• Fissured lesions around the mouth
• Mucopurulent or blood-stained nasal discharge
• Meningitis – appears in very rare cases
• Choroiditis
• Hydrocephalus
• Mental retardation
• Jaundice
• Osteochondritis
• Gummatous ulcers
• Periosteal lesions
• Optic atrophy
• Interstitial keratitis
• Eye lesions which can result in corneal scarring
• Sensorineural deafness
• Petechiae
• Saber shins
• Anemia
• Snuffles (also known as rhinitis)
• Poorly developed maxillae
• Frontal bossing
• Mulberry molars
• Hutchinson’s Triad - this is a set of symptoms characterized by deafness, Hutchinson’s teeth (notched teeth) and interstitial keratitis (abbreviated IK, it is the inflammation of the cornea.)
• Death as a consequence to pulmonary hemorrhage

Congenital Syphilis – Treatment

Doctors usually recommend to the pregnant women who are in the early stage of Congenital Syphilis two doses of benzathine penicillin G (also known as Bicillin, Duracillin). In the later stage of syphilis, the pregnant women who receive treatment may suffer a severe Jarish – Herxheimer reaction, which usually leads to spontaneous abortion.  The patients who are allergic to penicillin can be desensitized and after that they can receive the penicillin treatment.  It is good to know that erythromycin (also known as achromycin V, tetracyn and tetrex) therapy is inadequate for the mother and the fetus, and the doctors should not recommend it.  In the cases in which the Congenital Syphilis is confirmed or highly probable, then the doctor will also prescribe penicillin (bicilin, duracillin) and the treatment has to be taken at least one week and can be prolonged until 10 days.

Children who may have Congenital Syphilis whose mothers were correctly treated and the children whose mothers were treated but the result of the treatment is unknown, can also be given one dose of bezathine penicillin. Older infants who have been diagnosed with Congenital Syphilis are also prescribed penicillin and in some cases they can also be treated with penicillin in combination with a corticosteroid, such as Prednisone (also known as Deltasone). In order for a pregnant woman not to pass the infection to the unborn child it is best for her child and also for her to start the treatment before the sixteenth week.