Abstract
ObjectivesTo determine the prevalence and correlates of syphilis among pregnant women in rural areas of South China.MethodsPoint-of-care syphilis testing was provided at 71 health facilities in less developed, rural areas of Guangdong Province. Positive samples were confirmed at a local referral center by toluidine red unheated serum tests (TRUST) and Treponema pallidum particle agglutination (TPPA) tests.ResultsAltogether 27,150 pregnant women in rural Guangdong were screened for syphilis. 106 (0.39%) syphilis cases were diagnosed, of which 78 (73.6%) received treatment for syphilis. Multivariate analysis revealed that older pregnant women (31–35 years old, aOR 2.7, 95% CI 0.99–7.32; older than 35 years old, aOR 5.9, 95% CI 2.13–16.34) and those with a history of adverse pregnant outcomes (aOR 3.64, 95% CI 2.30–5.76) were more likely to be infected with syphilis.ConclusionsA high prevalence of syphilis exists among pregnant women living in rural areas of South China. Enhanced integration of syphilis screening with other routine women's health services (OB GYN, family planning) may be useful for controlling China's syphilis epidemic.
Highlights
An estimated 1.36 million pregnant women had active syphilis in 2008 [1]
Maternal syphilis resulted in more than 520,000 adverse outcomes, including stillbirths, early fetal losses, neonatal deaths, preterm or low birthweight infants, and infants born with congenital syphilis (CS) [1]
Many of these women seek prenatal care in rural regions of low- and middleincome nations that do not have the capacity to implement traditional syphilis screening [1,2,3,4]. Pregnant women in these contexts either receive testing during the third trimester after their babies have been affected or never receive testing [1,2,3]. This lack of syphilis testing in rural regions leads to uncertainty about the extent of the syphilis epidemic among rural pregnant women
Summary
Maternal syphilis resulted in more than 520,000 adverse outcomes, including stillbirths, early fetal losses, neonatal deaths, preterm or low birthweight infants, and infants born with congenital syphilis (CS) [1] Many of these women seek prenatal care in rural regions of low- and middleincome nations that do not have the capacity to implement traditional syphilis screening [1,2,3,4]. Developments in point-of-care (POC) technology allow accurate syphilis screening using immunochromatographic strips [5] These tests, which have demonstrated sensitivity and specificity comparable to laboratory-based methods, can provide a rapid result within 30 minutes of testing. This development enables routine syphilis testing in low-level rural health facilities that serve large numbers of pregnant women [6]
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
