EPIDEMIOLOGICAL STUDY OF SYPHILIS IN PREGNANT WOMEN IN THE NORTHEAST REGION OF BRAZIL FROM 2015 to 2020

Abstract

Syphilis is a bacterial infection caused by Treponema pallidum, whose main forms of transmission are sexual and vertical. When acquired during pregnancy, it can cause severe consequences for both mother and fetus, and if not treated, it can evolve with irreversible sequelae or even, in some cases, death. The purpose of this study was to determine the occurrence of syphilis in pregnant women in northeast Brazil from 2015 to 2020. This is a descriptive and retrospective epidemiological study, using secondary data on the variation in the number of confirmed cases of Gestational Syphilis. Through data analysis it was observed that the confirmed number of gestational syphilis in the study period amounted to a total of 54,518 cases. Only in 2018 was evidenced an increase of 60.39% of cases compared to 2017. This increase in the number of cases was observed in all regions of Brazil, especially in Northeast and it´s related to the change in the criteria for diagnosing syphilis this year. It was also found that, 2018 was the year that most diagnosed syphilis, regardless of the quarter analyzed. The data demonstrated that this infection represents a serious public health problem, associated with poor prenatal care, delays in diagnosis and early treatment, in addition to perinatal complications such as congenital syphilis.