Elimination of congenital syphilis
REGIONAL UPDATES
African region
Studying Congenital Syphilis in Mozambique
The Mozambique National Health Institute (INS), Health Alliance International (HAI), and WHO are jointly conducting a study in central Mozambique to quantify the burden of congenital syphilis, evaluate the effectiveness of syphilis treatment administered at different times during pregnancy, and characterize women not screened for syphilis in pregnancy. As of September 2012, over 10 000 women have been enrolled in the study. Data from the study will be useful for the following:
- for Mozambique to understand the magnitude of the problem;
- for strengthening efforts to reduce the burden of congenital syphilis;
- for better understanding the impact of timing of treatment in pregnancy.
Moving towards elimination
June 2011 - three-day workshop with six countries in the United Republic of Tanzania
The objective was to develop national action plans to strengthen efforts to eliminate vertical transmission of syphilis and HIV. WHO will follow-up with Central African Republic, Ghana, Madagascar, Mozambique, United Republic of Tanzania, and Zambia to finalize the action plans, provide technical support for implementation, and continue to advocate for increased engagement of partner organizations in these countries.
(Organized by the WHO African Regional Office and Headquarters, with CDC* and LSHTM* support).
Region of the Americas
A generation free of HIV and syphilis
The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) and UNICEF regional initiative to eliminate mother-to-child transmission of HIV and syphilis was officially endorsed by countries at the 50th PAHO Directing Council in September 2010. PAHO has released the first regional report on the initiative in 2011, and is developing a process for certification of elimination. A regional partners meeting was held in Panama in May 2011, and an Andean subregional meeting in Peru was held in October 2011. A variety of tools to assist countries are available online:
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Regional Initiative for the Elimination of Mother-to-Child Transmission of HIV and Congenital Syphilis in Latin America and the Caribbean
REGIONAL MONITORING STRATEGY - 2nd Edition, 2013 - 2010 Situation Analysis: Elimination of Mother-to-child Transmission of HIV and Congenital Syphilis in the Americas
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Regional Initiative for Elimination of Mother-to-Child Transmission of HIV and Congenital Syphilis in Latin America and the Caribbean
Concept document for the Caribbean - Español - Documento conceptual
- Español - Guía clínica para la eliminación de la transmisión maternoinfantil del VIH y de la sífilis congénita
- Costing tool (Only in Spanish) - Herramienta de Costeo para la Iniciativa de Eliminación
- Technical guidance on how to develop protocols for studies of prevalence of syphilis and HIV (Only in Spanish) - Recomendaciones técnicas para la elaboración de protocolos para estudios de prevalencia de sífilis y VIH en parturientas y/o puérperas
- Summary of congenital syphilis elimination efforts in Uruguay (Only in Spanish) - Una década de sífilis gestacional y congénita en Uruguay
South-East Asia and Western Pacific regions
Regional framework for elimination of paediatric HIV and congenital syphilis
In August 2011, the Asia Pacific United Nations Prevention of Parents-to-Child Transmission (PPTC) Task Force, consisting of regional representative from WHO, UNICEF, UNFPA, and UNAIDS, launched the Conceptual Framework for the Elimination of New Paediatric HIV Infections and Congenital Syphilis in the Asia Pacific 2011-2015. The vision for the framework is women and children alive and free from HIV and syphilis. In addition to the Conceptual Framework, the task force has also developed a monitoring and evaluation guide, fact sheets for 12 countries, and a costing tool.
South-East Asia region
The WHO Regional Office for South-East Asia (SEARO) launched the regional strategy for elimination of congenital syphilis in November 2009. In July 2011, representatives from 6 SEARO countries met in Colombo, Sri Lanka, for an expert meeting on the regional strategy, monitoring and evaluation, and next steps to move to elimination.
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HIV/AIDS in the South-East Asia Region - Progress report 2010
Includes information on the elimination of congenital syphilis
WESTERN PACIFIC REGION
Ulaan Baatar, Mongolia: in November 2010, the WHO Regional Office for the Western Pacific (WPRO) held a mid-term review of the Regional Strategic Action Plan for the Prevention and Control of Sexually Transmitted Infections 2008-2012. In this meeting congenital syphilis elimination was identified as being one of three top priority areas.
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Regional Strategic Plan for the Prevention and Control of Sexually Transmitted Infections, 2008-2012
The priority objectives and key result areas of the Action Plan are to improve STI case management, expand access to STI care, eliminate congenital syphilis, reduce STI transmission and improve data management. -
Report on Women and Children’s Health Development in China (2011)
In June 2010, China released a National Strategy to Control Syphilis, and in November 2010 launched a programme to jointly control vertical transmission of HIV, syphilis, and hepatitis B. The August 2011 Report on Women and Children’s Health Development in China clearly acknowledges the threat that syphilis plays to women and children's health in China. -
Syphilis test availability and uptake at medical facilities in southern China
Article - Bulletin of the World Health Organization
European region
In order to accelerate the elimination of congenital syphilis in Europe, WHO Regional Office for Europe in collaboration with WHO headquarters and U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is conducting a regional survey to:
- Review current national policies, program activities, and data related to diagnosis and treatment of congenital syphilis;
- Draft a regional approach for elimination of congenital syphilis in Europe, including a process for certification of elimination. Survey finding will be used by WHO Europe to develop a regional approach that reflects the current epidemiology and needs of countries in the WHO European Region.
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Data on sexually transmitted infections (STI)
Centralized Information System for Infectious Diseases (CISID).
*LSHTM: London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine
*CDC: The U.S. Centers of Disease Control and Prevention
