Abstract
In six cases of congenital syphilis in newborn at Los Angeles County-USC Medical Center over a seven-month period the clinical findings fell into two categories related to the time of onset of symptoms. Infants ill in the nursery presented evidence of transplacental infection; infants who became ill later showed the “classic” findings of rash, rhinorrhea and pseudoparalysis.
No single clinical symptom was present in all cases but all symptomatic infants had radiographic evidence of bone disease. Respiratory distress was present at the onset of symptoms in three of four infants with neonatal disease, and all three had evidence of interstitial pneumonia in chest radiographs.
Serologic testing may be difficult to evaluate in the newborn period, but more recent and specific tests are helpful in diagnosis. Penicillin remains the drug of choice. The only death occurred at five hours of life in a premature infant. Growth and development in surviving infants appeared normal.
Full text
PDF
Selected References
These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.
- Alford C. A., Jr, Polt S. S., Cassady G. E., Straumfjord J. V., Remington J. S. Gamma-M-fluorescent treponemal antibody in the diagnosis of congenital syphilis. N Engl J Med. 1969 May 15;280(20):1086–1091. doi: 10.1056/NEJM196905152802002. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- BROWN W. J., MOORE M. B., Jr Congenital syphilis in the United States. Clin Pediatr (Phila) 1963 May;2:220–222. doi: 10.1177/000992286300200502. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Coblentz D. R., Cimini R., Mikity V. G., Rosen R. Roentgenographic diagnosis of congenital syphilis in the newborn. JAMA. 1970 May 11;212(6):1061–1064. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- LUBCHENCO L. O., HANSMAN C., DRESSLER M., BOYD E. INTRAUTERINE GROWTH AS ESTIMATED FROM LIVEBORN BIRTH-WEIGHT DATA AT 24 TO 42 WEEKS OF GESTATION. Pediatrics. 1963 Nov;32:793–800. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- OLANSKY S., MCCORMICK G. E., Jr Experiences with the Fluorescent Treponemal Antibody test for syphilis (FTA test). Arch Dermatol. 1960 Jan;81:59–65. doi: 10.1001/archderm.1960.03730010063007. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Scotti A. T., Logan L. A specific IgM antibody test in neonatal congenital syphilis. J Pediatr. 1968 Aug;73(2):242–243. doi: 10.1016/s0022-3476(68)80075-7. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- WHITAKER J. A., SARTAIN P., SHAHEEDY M. HEMATOLOGICAL ASPECTS OF CONGENITAL SYPHILIS. J Pediatr. 1965 Mar;66:629–636. doi: 10.1016/s0022-3476(65)80126-3. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- WOODY N. C., SISTRUNK W. F., PLATOU R. V. CONGENITAL SYPHILIS: A LAID GHOST WALKS. J Pediatr. 1964 Jan;64:63–67. doi: 10.1016/s0022-3476(64)80317-6. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]