The effect of syphilis treatment during pregnancy on serological test results in infants born to syphilis mothers / 中华传染病杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To discuss the effect of syphilis treatment during pregnancy on serological test results in infants born to syphilis mothers.Methods Data of pregnant women with syphilis and their infants in Zhejiang Province between January 2013 and December 2014 were retrospectively analyzed and the effect of syphilis treatment during pregnancy on non-treponemal antigen serological test results in infants were compared.x2 test was used for positive rate of serological tests,incidence of congenital syphilis,and neonatal mortality in infants with syphilis,and rank sum test was used to compare the titers of rapid plasma reagin (RPR) test and tolulized red unheated serum teat (TRUST).Results A total of 3 953 infants were born to 3 901 mothers with syphilis.Of which 3 262 were tested,including 2 226 by RPR and 1 036 by TRUST.The rate of infants with positive RPR was significant lower in treated mothers (45.02％)compared with untreated mothers (55.04％;x2 =12.88,P＜0.01).The significant differences of titers of RPR or TRUST were observed among mothers with or without treatment (RPRZ=-2.45,P=0.01;TRUSTZ=-2.65,P=0.01),different course of treatment (RPRZ=-2.33,P=0.02;TRUSTZ=-2.60,P=0.01).Fifty-seven infants were diagnosed with congenital syphilis.The rate of congenital syphilis was 3.50％(27/772) born to untreated mothers,which was dramatically higher than treated mothers (0.96 ％,30/3 129,x2 =27.72,P＜ 0.01).Forty-two infants died.Neonatal mortality was also higher in the untreated group (2.59 ％,20/772) than the treated group (0.70％,22/3 129,x2 =20.72,P＜ 0.01).Conclusion Adequate treatment for women with syphilis during pregnancy could decrease serological tests of RPR and TRUST among new infants and improve the infants their outcomes.