Prevalence of Syphilis among Pregnant Women in Two Health Care Facilites in South Western Nigeria.
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Date
2014-12-01
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Abstract
Aims: The prevalence of syphilis has been reported to be on the increase worldwide as
a result of the HIV/AIDS pandemic. Maternal syphilis puts the fetus at risk of congenital
syphilis with the attendant health risks including intrauterine death. This study was
carried out to determine the seroprevalence among pregnant women attending antenatal
care unit of two tertiary care facilities in South Western Nigeria. Study Design: A Cross-sectional study was carried out.
Place and Duration of Study: LAUTECH Teaching Hospital, Osogbo and State
Specialist Hospital, Osogbo, Nigeria from October 2012 to May 2013.
Methodology: Three hundred and ninety-four pregnant women were recruited for this
cross-sectional descriptive study carried out from October 2012 to May 2013. A semistructured
questionnaire for socio-demographic information was administered and
venous blood samples collected after obtaining informed consent and giving a health talk
on mother-to-child transmission of Human Immunodeficiency Virus. Screening for
syphilis was done using the qualitative Rapid Plasma Reagin (RPR) test. All reactive
sera then had their RPR titre quantified. The confirmatory test for reactive sera was
carried out using the Treponema pallidum haemagglutination (TPHA) test.
Results: Eight (2%) of the 394 samples were reactive for RPR; while 4(1.0%) were
positive for THPA, giving a 1.0% seroprevalence rate. Out of all the women positive for
RPR, most (75%) were without any formal education while the remaining 2 had only
primary education. All 4 samples that were confirmed positive by THPA were from
women with no formal education. Of the 8 positive sample for RPR titre values ranged
from 1:2 to 1;8 with higher titres found in those that were TPHA positive.
Conclusion: Even though the study recorded low prevalence rate of syphilis in both
facilities, it is important to note that the cases were asymptomatic. Therefore routine
screening for syphilis in antenatal clinic should be encouraged to prevent mother to child
transmission of syphilis.
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Keywords
Seroprevalence, syphilis, pregnancy, Nigeria
Citation
Olowe O A, Makanjuola O B, Olowe R A, Olaitan J O, Ojurongbe O , Fadiora S O. Prevalence of Syphilis among Pregnant Women in Two Health Care Facilites in South Western Nigeria. British Journal of Medicine and Medical Research. 2014 Dec; 4(34): 5431-5438.