title: Clinical and epidemiological features of syphilis in pregnant women: the course and outcome of pregnancy.
abstract: Clinical and epidemiological features of syphilis and the course and outcome of pregnancy were studied in 155 pregnant women infected with syphilis; 95 (61%) women were unemployed, 47% were unmarried. Syphilis proceeded without clinical manifestations in 121 cases (78%). Discordant results of complement fixation (Wassermann) test, precipitation test, Treponema pallidum immobilization test, and fluorescent antibody test were observed in 22 (14%) of the women. Pregnancy pathology was observed in 75 cases (48.8%) and more often appeared as anemia in 49 (31.5%), stillborn in 46 (29.8%) and toxicosis in 44 (28.4%). Fetal ultrasonic stigmas of infection were evident in 23 cases (49%). There was distension of the brain ventricle system and hepatomegaly each in 1 case (2%), transvascular infiltration of liver in 2 cases (4%), dilation of intestinal loops, gastromegaly, ventriculomegaly and petrifaction in lungs each in 1 case; ultrasonic changes in vessels of organs: of the liver in 4 cases (8%), intestines and stomach in 16 cases (32%), lungs in 4 cases (8%), kidneys in 10 cases (21%) and of the ventricular system in 9 cases (19%). Fetus development retardation was revealed in 3 cases (6%), fetal hypoxia in 1 (2%), hypohydrosis in 2 (4%) and hydropsy in 1 case (2%). The pregnancy pathology in women with syphilis was considered not pathognomonic.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Dermatology and Venereology, Academy of Medical Sciences of Ukraine, Kharkiv, Ukraine. uniidiv@vlink.kharkov.ua
authors.forename: G I
authors.initials: GI
authors.lastname: Mavrov
authors.forename: T V
authors.initials: TV
authors.lastname: Goubenko
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D005315:Fetal Diseases / Q000097:blood / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D018445:Infectious Disease Transmission, Vertical; D011247:Pregnancy; D011251:Pregnancy Complications, Infectious / Q000097:blood / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000453:epidemiology*; D011256:Pregnancy Outcome / Q000453:epidemiology*; D011295:Prenatal Care; D012698:Serologic Tests; D013587:Syphilis / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000635:transmission*; D013588:Syphilis Serodiagnosis; D013590:Syphilis, Congenital / Q000097:blood / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000453:epidemiology; D014210:Treponema pallidum / Q000302:isolation & purification; D014463:Ultrasonography