EFFECT OF THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC ON CONGENITAL SYPHILIS NOTIFICATIONS IN BRAZIL

Abstract

Syphilis is considered a Sexually Transmitted Infection and systemic infectious-contagious disease caused by the anaerobic bacterium Treponema pallidum, subspecies pallidum. With the advent of the COVID-19 pandemic, caused by the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2, an impact was observed on the performance of prenatal consultations and exams. In this context, the present study aimed to investigate the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on congenital syphilis notifications in Brazil. This is a descriptive-exploratory study with data collection conducted between March and June 2023. The information regarding congenital syphilis notifications that occurred between 2018 and 2021 was extracted from the Notifiable Diseases Information System and made available on the platform of the Department of Informatics of the Sistema Único de Saúde. The data were grouped into two biennia: 2018-2019 (pre-pandemic period) and 2020-2021 (pandemic period). Descriptive statistics and percentage variation were used for data analysis. The results showed that between 2018 and 2021, 84,698 cases of congenital syphilis were reported in Brazil, with a higher number of cases in the pre-pandemic period (n= 51,174; 60.4%). There was a downward trend in notifications in Brazil during the health crisis, with a negative percentage variation of 34.4%, and with the Central-West (percentage variation = -5.2%) and North (percentage variation = -4.6%) regions standing out. The sociodemographic and healthcare characteristics were similar between the pre-pandemic and pandemic periods. The study concludes that there was a decrease in reported cases of congenital syphilis, suggesting a potential underreporting in the different macro-regions of Brazil, possibly related to low adherence to prenatal care by pregnant women during the COVID-19 pandemic.