Congenital syphilis: unique clinical presentation in three preterm newborns

Abstract

Three preterm newborns affected by congenital syphilis, born to mothers not adequately treated during pregnancy, are described. The clinical picture is characterized by a severe cholestatic hepatopathy and, in the two surviving patients, by an unusually wide ischemic-hemorrhagic lesion of the cerebral parenchyma. This lesion is probably due to a syphilitic endarteritis, and has rarely been described before in preterm infants.

Early congenital syphilis in a premature baby

“…Given the increase in prevalence and the increase in preterm labours in Syphilis-positive women, this presentation will doubtless be seen more frequently. Similar cases have otherwise been described in Italy [1], the US [4] and Taiwan [5].…”

Case Report: Management of Cholestasis Associated With Congenital Syphilis

“…The pathogenesis of cholestasis is not currently known; however, toxic reactions to the products of treponemal lysis have been speculated to be the cause (5,9). Although cholestasis naturally improves in most cases, several fatal cases, due to intracranial or gastrointestinal hemorrhage with severe liver fibrosis, have been reported (10,11).…”

Neonatal acute syphilitic meningitis: A case report

“…Uncommon manifestations of congenital syphilis described as case reports in the literature are pancreatitis, nephritis, nephrotic syndrome, alopecia, pituitary and bony gummas, ileitis, malabsorption with fibrosis of gut, testicular mass, nail exfoliation, congenital microophthalmos and as acute emergency (diarrhea, dehydration, respiratory insufficiency) [10][11][12][13][14][15]. Congenital syphilis when presenting with symptoms right at birth, usually presents as hemolytic anemia, bleeding diathesis, bullous eruptions, osteopathy, pneumonia alba [16][17][18][19][20][21][22].…”