Resurgence of congenital syphilis in Trinidad

ABSTRACT

Twenty-eight cases of congenital syphilis (CS) were diagnosed shortly after birth at the Mount Hope Women's Hospital, Trinidad, during the period January 1985 to December 1988. The average annual incidence of CS was 115 per 100,000 live births, and the absolute number of cases and annual incidence doubled in the latter 2 years of the study. Diagnostic criteria used were a positive VDRL test in the 23 liveborn infants (100 per cent), signs suggestive of CS and confirmatory post-mortem findings. All mothers attended antenatal clinic at least once and 18 (