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Indicator name:
Syphilis, antenatal care attendees who were positive for syphilis (%), reported
Short name:
Syphilis seropositivity among ANC attendees
Topic:
Mortality and burden of disease
Rationale:
Testing (screening) coverage, the prevalence of syphilis in women attending antenatal care services, and treatment coverage are all key indicators for assessing a country’s progress towards eliminating vertical transmission of syphilis. At the country level, these data can be used to identify areas with the greatest need for comprehensive congenital syphilis prevention interventions. At the global level, these data are also used to estimate the perinatal mortality and morbidity caused by syphilis that could be averted with effective programmes to eliminate vertical transmission of syphilis. The prevalence of syphilis in antenatal care attendees can be used to highlight areas within a country that require additional support, and it may provide early warning of potential changes in HIV and sexually transmitted infection transmission in the general population. The data are also an important source of information for generating national, regional and global incidence and prevalence estimates for syphilis and congenital syphilis
Definition:
Percentage of women attending antenatal care services who received syphilis testing and who had a positive syphilis serology.
Numerator: Number of women attending antenatal care services who tested positive for syphilis.
Denominator: Number of women attending antenatal care services who were tested for syphilis.
Method of measurement
Syphilis positivity can either be a positive treponemal test, a reactive nontreponemal test or a combination of both. It is important to report the testing (screening) algorithm generally used in the country. The type of test is factored into data analysis. For this indicator (intended to measure seropositivity), reporting positivity based on a single test result is acceptable. If both treponemal and nontreponemal test results on an individual person are available, then syphilis positivity should be defined as having positive results in both tests. The following sources of data may be used: national programme records aggregated from health-facility data, sentinel surveillance or special surveys. In the comments section, specify the source and coverage of your data: for example, sentinel surveillance of all antenatal care attendees in two of 10 provinces. Countries are encouraged to use unique identifiers or registries that separate first and subsequent tests to avoid double counting and that reflect the true prevalence or incidence of syphilis rather than test positivity.
Method of estimation:
Country reports to Global AIDS Monitoring (GAM) process (formerly Global AIDS response progress reporting (GARPR))
Other possible data sources:
Special studies
Preferred data sources:
Routine health information systems
Unit of Measure:
Not Applicable
Unit Multiplier:
Not Applicable
Expected frequency of data dissemination:
Annual
Expected frequency of data collection:
Annual
Contact person email:
dyj@who.int
Name:
Josephine Dy
IMRID:
3249
Links:
Global guidance on criteria and processes for validation: elimination of mother-to-child transmission of HIV, syphilis and hepatitis B virus
WHO guideline on syphilis screening and treatment for pregnant women
Dual HIV/syphilis rapid diagnostic tests can be used as the first test in antenatal care
Indicator Metadata Registry List
Other visualisations & images
Antenatal care attendees who were positive for syphilis (%), reported
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