Epidemiological profile of congenital syphilis in the municipality of São Luís, 2008–2017

Abstract

Introduction: Congenital syphilis is a disease of great magnitude due to increasing numbers of new annual cases, affecting a large contingent of children, which translates into high incidence rates. The occurrence of syphilis cases evidences failures in health services, especially in prenatal care. Objective: To describe the epidemiological profile of congenital syphilis in the municipality of São Luís. Methods: Descriptive study with a quantitative approach. Congenital syphilis data recorded in SINAN from 2008 to 2017 were used. Results: The detection rate in the municipality shows a continuous increase. A total of 1,060 cases of congenital syphilis were diagnosed in neonates, 1,017 (96.0%) after the first week of life. Regarding the final diagnosis of cases, it was observed that 967 (91.2%) were classified as early congenital syphilis. The predominant maternal age range was 20 to 34 years, corresponding to 743 cases (70.1%). Regarding access to prenatal care, 802 (75.6%) mothers underwent prenatal care, while 219 (20.66%) did not. Among those who received prenatal care, 352 (33.0%) were diagnosed with syphilis during prenatal care, 481 (46.0%) were diagnosed at the time of delivery/curettage, and 59 (5.0%) were diagnosed after childbirth. Regarding the treatment regimen during pregnancy, 736 (70.0%) received inadequate treatment, 95 (8.0%) received no treatment and 62 (6.0%) received adequate treatment. Conclusion: The study contributed to the identification of possible losses in the stages of such care, and in obtaining qualified information that will guide decision-making and planning of health actions, supporting the epidemiological surveillance work in guiding managers and health teams.