EPIDEMIOLOGICAL ANALYSIS OF SYPHILIS DURING PREGNANCY IN RELATION TO CONGENITAL SYPHILIS IN THE REGIONS OF BRAZIL: A RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN PRENATAL CARE AND THE TRANSMISSION OF THE DISEASE

Abstract

Syphilis is an infectious, systemic disease caused by Treponema pallidum, the main route of transmission being sexual contact. When a pregnant woman (SG) is infected and not treated properly, she can transmit the disease vertically to the fetus via the placenta or by direct contact with the lesion during childbirth, which is known as congenital syphilis (CS). Objective: To be able to compare diagnoses of syphilis during pregnancy with the number of reported cases of congenital syphilis in Brazil and the state of Paraná, in order to assess the period of infection, prenatal care and the outcome of the disease. Methods: This epidemiological study was obtained from the DATASUS online platform. Results: The results obtained show a decrease in cases of gestational syphilis and congenital syphilis from 2018 to 2021 in the Brazilian regions, however concomitantly there was a decrease in prenatal care and monitoring of pregnant women, and consequently a drop in the number of notifications. The regions with the highest diagnoses of both CS and GS are the most populous and those with the highest rates of prenatal care. Conclusions: Syphilis during pregnancy and CS, although declining in recent years, remain highly prevalent diseases in Brazil, even though they are preventable. With regard to vertical transmission, prenatal care is essential in an attempt to diagnose the disease early.