Congenital syphilis pathophysiology
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Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]; Associate Editor(s)-in-Chief: Aditya Govindavarjhulla, M.B.B.S. [2]
Overview
Pathophysiology of congenital syphilis is still unclear. Several theories have been postulated in regards to duration of infection in mother and stage of pregnancy.
Pathophysiology
Transmission
Congenital syphilis occurs by the transmission of T. pallidum from mother to fetus through placenta during pregnancy. Transmission of the infection to the fetus depends on the duration of the disease in the mother. The longer the mother has had the disease at the time of pregnancy, the chance of fetal infection decreases (40% in early latency and 10% in late latency).[1]
In utero transmission may occur at any stage of disease, but the more higher rates of disease are seen with untreated infection of primary and second trimester infection. It was postulated long back by Kassowitz that reduction in transplacental infection with progression of maternal syphilis was related to evolution of maternal immunity.