Risk factors in association with congenital syphilis: a case control study / 中华皮肤科杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To investigate the risk factors in association with congenital syphilis, in order to provide a basis for further improvement of the ongoing Prevention of Mother to Child Syphilis Transmis- sion Project in Shenzhen. Methods A nested case-control study was designed in neonates with risk of con- genital syphilis. The case group included 51 neonates with congenital syphilis, and the control group included 320 neonates without the disease. Results The risk factors in association with congenital syphilis were mother's age, residence, education level, weeks of gestation at time of starting standardized treatment,moth- er's TRUST titer at time of diagnosis; and also father's education level, occupation and history of multiple sex partners, as showed with univariate logistic regression analysis. After adjusted with multivariate uncondi- tional logistic regression analysis, 4 independent risk factors were found, namely, mother's age, father's edu- cation level, weeks of gestation at time of starting standardized treatment, and mother's TRUST titer at time of diagnosis. Conclusions Risk factors in association with congenital syphilis are identified, which provide important clues for effective prevention of congenital syphilis.