Congenital syphilis prevalence in HIV-exposed newborns

Abstract

INTRODUCTION: The current epidemiological situation in Porto Alegre is worrying due to the high rates of vertical transmission of HIV, syphilis in pregnant women and congenital syphilis, making the evaluation of the prevalence of congenital syphilis in newborns exposed to HIV relevant. It is estimated that an analysis of the data found may lead to measures capable of assisting in the prevention of both infections. OBJECTIVES: To describe pregnancy coinfection HIV/syphilis data and the consequences to their newborns. METHODS: A retrospective cohort study of live births of HIV-positive mothers with and without gestational syphilis, born at Hospital de Clínicas of Porto Alegre from January 1st, 2013 to December 31th, 2017. RESULTS: A total of 440 newborns from HIV-positive mothers were divided into two groups: the first, with 392 infants of HIV-positive mothers without gestational syphilis, resulting in 3 HIV-infected infants (vertical transmission 0,7%); the second group, with 48 infants born from mothers with HIV/syphilis coinfection (prevalence of gestational syphilis 10,9%), with 64,6% needing hospitalization for congenital syphilis treatment, and 4 HIV-infected newborns (vertical transmission 8,3%). When compared the two groups, it was verified that this difference was statistically significant. CONCLUSIONS: The gestational and congenital syphilis prevalence in our hospital is alarming, and coinfection HIV/syphilis seems to be an independent risk factor to the vertical transmission of HIV.