Females treated for syphilis in Bialystok, Poland 2016-2020

Syphilis is the third most frequent bacterial sexually transmitted disease globally. Untreated syphilis in a pregnant woman may results in a transmission of the infection to the foetus resulting in congenital syphilis.

To characterise females treated for syphilis in Bialystok, north-east Poland, in years 2016-2020.

Retrospective analysis of age, residency, marital status of patients, stage of syphilis, treatment and adherence to follow-up visits was conducted as well as a detailed analysis of clinical characteristics of pregnant women treated for syphilis.

Sixteen women were treated for syphilis in 2016-2020, 11 (68.8%) of them were pregnant. The proportion of pregnant women among all syphilis female patients increased substantially as compared to years 2000-2015 (68.8% vs. 36.2%, respectively, P<0.05). Mean age of patients was 37.12±11.25 years, 10 (62.5%) were residents of urban areas and 10 were married. Late latent syphilis or latent of unknown duration was the most frequent stage of syphilis. Chlamydia trachomatis infection was detected in four (25%) patients with syphilis. Benzathine penicillin was mainly used in the treatment. More than half of patients did not complete follow-up. Only one pregnant woman was treated within the first trimester and five of them (45.45%) were lost to follow-up and the outcome of pregnancy was unknown.

Syphilis in females, especially in pregnant ones, is an important problem in the Podlaskie voivodeship. The proportion of pregnant females among all female patients with syphilis is increasing. The detection and the treatment of infection is frequently delayed in pregnant females. The after treatment followup and the knowledge of outcome of pregnancy remains unsatisfactory. The collaboration between dermatovenereologists, gynaecologists and obstetricians should be improved.