Seroprevalence Of Syphilis Among Pregnant Women In Khartoum, Khartoum North, Omdurman Cities

Abstract

A prospective study was conduced from March through May (2005), in Khartoum, Omdurman and Khartoum North, in Khartoum State, Sudan. Blood samples from one hundred pregnant women attending different hospitals in Khartoum State, were taken for the purpose of diagnosis of syphilis. The stages of pregnancy varied. There is an increasing demand for evaluating laboratory serological techniques used in diagnosing syphilis, in terms of accuracy and sensitivity, finding out the most accurate in diagnosing and monitoring the disease through comparisons between them. Among the objectives of this study, attempt to study the relation between syphilis and some risk factors, particularly, history of abortion and the co-existence of genital ulcers. Screening for Syphilis was performed on the hundred blood samples using three serological techniques; namely, Rapid Plasma Reagin (RPR) test, Rapid Syphilis Test (RST) and Treponema Pallidum Haemagglutination (TPHA) test, according to the principle of antigen – antibody reactions. The results obtained were statistically analyzed. The specific treponemal antibody was detected in 9% pregnant women using TPHA test. However, the antibody was detected among 9% pregnant women using RPR and 8% using RST. When chi-square test was used to analyze the data obtained, RPR was shown to be the most sensitive test and RST was the most specific method in the diagnosis of syphilis. Out of the total hundred pregnant women tested, 4% were in the first trimester, 41% were in the second trimester and 55% were in the third trimester. The highest percentage of positive results (15%) was obtained among the age group 33 – 38 years. The results obtained showed no significant differences between different age groups examined (P>0.05). The study showed that syphilis significantly (P<0.05) increased the risk of abortion and genital ulcer was found to be a significantly confounder for positive result for syphilis (P<0.05). The results obtained in this study concluded the importance of performing serological screening tests during pregnancy for better protection, for prevention of possible transplacental transmission and for avoiding probable repeated abortions. Obviously, further studies using more confirmatory tests are needed for proper diagnosis, treatment and control of syphilis among pregnant women.