Understanding Congenital Syphilis: Causes, Symptoms, and Management

Sign In

All Posts Conditions Community About

Explore Over 11,000+ Conditions, Medications, and Symptoms.

Get a personalized feed by signing up for free.

All Conditions

Congenital Syphilis

by Alike Medical Team ∙ Updated on June 13, 2023

General

Congenital syphilis is a condition in which the fetus acquired a chronic infectious disease in the uterus before birth. Syphilis is a sexually transmitted disease (STD) caused by the bacterium Treponema pallidum.Some babies born with congenital syphilis present symptoms already at birth, but others do not. Babies who are exposed to syphilis in the uterus can suffer from deformities, developmental delays, rash, seizures, anemia, and jaundice. Congenital syphilis can be classified into early and late forms- depending on the time of symptoms onset. Early syphilis presents between 0-2 years old. Symptomatic newborns (if not stillborn) are born prematurely. Late congenital syphilis symptoms start in children which are older than 2 years old. A frequently-found group of symptoms is Hutchinson's triad, which consists of Hutchinson's teeth (notched incisors), keratitis and deafness

0 people with Congenital Syphilis

Learn from others who are experiencing Congenital Syphilis.

Signs & symptoms

Congenital syphilis symptoms may include anemia, enlarged spleen and liver, narrowing of the little finger, frontal bossing, enlargement of the sternal end of clavicle, jaundice, lymph node enlargement, mulberry molars, petechiae, poorly developed maxillae, pseudoparalysis, rhagades, snuffles, sabre shins and skin rash.

Diagnosis

Diagnosis of congenital syphilis is done by serological testing to both the mother and the baby. If the baby’s IgG antibody titres are significantly higher than the mother’s or IgM antibodies are present, congenital syphilis can be diagnosed. Neurosyphilis can be suggested by pleocytosis, elevated protein level and positive serology in the cerebrospinal fluid.

Treatment

When a syphilis carrier becomes pregnant, a congenital syphilis may be prevented by treating the mother. If the mother is in the early stages of infection, the fetus is more likely to get infected. A baby with congenital syphilis has to be treated with penicillin as soon as possible.

Note

☝ We provide information on prescription and over-the-counter medicines, diagnosis, procedures and lab tests. This material is provided for educational purposes only and is not medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.

National Institutes of Health ∙ World Health Organization ∙ MedlinePluse ∙ Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

☝ All information has been reviewed by certified physicians from Alike

Alike Wisdom

Instantly get answers to medical questions with our AI, built from the collective wisdom of our community facing similar experiences

Alike is a transformative platform that goes beyond just bringing together patients; it meticulously connects individuals based on multiple critical factors, such as age, gender, comorbidities, medications, diet, and more, fostering a community of knowledge, support and empathy.

About Alike Wisdom Blog FAQ Editorial Team All Conditions All Posts All Communities Support

Your Privacy Stories Community Guidelines Terms of Use Privacy Policy Helplines Contact Us Group Chats Guidelines Moderation Process