An epidemic of congenital syphilis in Jefferson County, Texas, 1994-1995

Inadequate prenatal syphilis testing after an outbreak in adults

Bibliographic Data

ID11023013
AuthorsK L Southwick, K Southwick (0009-0001-4284-6579, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention), Harlan Mark Guidry, M M Weldon, K J Mert, Kader Mert (0000-0002-5035-7230), Stuart M Berman, William C Levine
Year1999
Volume89
Issue4
Pages557-560
Publication date1999-04-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessNo
TypeARTICLE
VenueAmerican Journal of Public Health (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0090-0036 • E-ISSN: 1541-0048
PublisherAmerican Public Health Association (PUBLISHER • US)
DOI10.2105/ajph.89.4.557
PMID10191801
OpenAlexW2087992349
LanguageEN
Citations received2
References cited9

OBJECTIVES: After a syphilis epidemic in Jefferson County, Texas, in 1993 and 1994, congenital syphilis prevalence and risk factors were determined and local prenatal syphilis screening practices were assessed. METHODS: Medical records were reviewed, pregnant women with syphilis were interviewed, and prenatal care providers were surveyed. RESULTS: Of 91 women, 59 (65%) had infants with congenital syphilis. Among African Americans, the prevalence per 1000 live births was 24.1 in 1994 and 17.9 in 1995. Of the 50 women with at least 2 prenatal care visits who had infants with congenital syphilis, 15 (30%) had received inadequate testing. Only 16% of 31 providers obtained an early third-trimester syphilis test on all patients. CONCLUSIONS: Inadequate prenatal testing contributed to this outbreak of congenital syphilis

Congenital syphilis · Environmental health · Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) · Outbreak · Population · Prenatal care · Syphilis · Demography · Medicine · Prenatal Screening and Diagnostics · Reproductive tract infections research · Syphilis Diagnosis and Treatment · Virology

Tools

Open DOISci-HubOpen Access