According to what was revealed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in America, the number of newborns infected with congenital syphilis is still high, despite some decline in the number of infected people during the year 2024 compared to the year 2023. In 2015, 475 cases of congenital syphilis were diagnosed, and in 2024, 3,941 were diagnosed, meaning that the number of cases increased by 700%, and this is a dangerous indicator. It calls for more measures to detect syphilis in pregnant mothers early, as this provides an opportunity for treatment with antibiotics during pregnancy, thus protecting the child from congenital syphilis.
Congenital syphilis is a name for syphilis that appears in newborns due to the infection being transmitted to the fetus from its mother. Its symptoms appear in the child early, i.e. during the first months of life, but they may appear late, i.e. after two years of the child’s age, even if the newborn does not show any symptoms. Early signs include a copper-colored rash on the palms of the hands and soles of the feet, purulent-bloody discharge from the nose, enlargement of the liver and spleen, as well as yellowing of the skin and conjunctiva of the eyes, and bone deformities. Late signs include serrated teeth, hearing loss and poor vision, as well as deformities of the nose and joints.
Because of the seriousness of congenital syphilis and its damage to the body that may continue throughout life, specialists advise expanding the pregnant care service to include the vast majority of them, as well as examining the pregnant woman twice during pregnancy to diagnose syphilis. The first examination must be done during the first three months of pregnancy. The second examination must be performed at the end of the second trimester of pregnancy or at the beginning of the last trimester. Diagnosing the presence of syphilis in pregnant women and ensuring that the appropriate treatment is taken ensures – God willing – that the child is protected from a dangerous disease that has almost ended since the discovery of antibiotics.
But it has reappeared now due to sexual immorality. May God protect our people and our nation from that.
SalehElshehry@
