Hospitalization morbidity caused by congenital syphilis in patients up to 1 year of age: Analysis of the epidemiological profile and rates in Brazilian territory.

Abstract

Syphilis is a chronic infectious condition that, when transmitted from mother to child, can lead to severe complications such as spontaneous abortion and congenital malformations. Approximately 1.5 million pregnant women worldwide contract syphilis annually, resulting in complications for half of them. In Brazil, there has been a significant increase in gestational and congenital syphilis rates from 2010 to 2016. This study aims to analyze the profile and rates of hospitalization for congenital syphilis in children under 1 year old in Brazil. It is an ecological, descriptive, and retrospective study, utilizing data from the Department of Health Information and Informatics (DATASUS) regarding hospitalizations. Individuals under 1 year old with hospitalization due to congenital syphilis in the country were included. The variables analyzed included region, nature of care, gender, and ethnicity. During the study period, there were 19,865 hospitalizations of children under 1 year old due to congenital syphilis in Brazil, with the southeast region leading (37.3%). The majority of hospitalizations were categorized as urgent (98.13%). Rates were similar between genders, but there was a noticeable disparity in the ethnicity variable, with the majority of cases involving children of mixed race (64.26%). The data reveal the impact of congenital syphilis, particularly among individuals of mixed race in the southeast, emphasizing the urgency of preventive policies to address the public health impacts. The author states that there is no conflict of interest.