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Congenital syphilis (CS) is associated with stillbirth, neonatal death, and several infant disorders. Detection and treatment of maternal syphilis >30 days before delivery can prevent CS. Before 2003, CS rates showed a 14-year decline. To assess recent trends in CS rates, the CDC analyzed U.S. surveillance data from 2003 through 2008.
CS rates among infants aged ≤1 year rose from 8.2 cases per 100,000 live births in 2005 to 10.1 per 100,000 in 2008, an increase of 23% (reflecting a 38% rise in maternal primary and secondary syphilis rates from 2004 through 2007 in females 10 years or older). The southern U.S. accounted for most of the increase; there, rates rose from 9.6 to 15.7 cases per 100,000 live births. CS rates were highest among infa…