Exploring an Epidemic: Congenital Syphilis in Texas is a podcast series designed to increase awareness and build a shared knowledge in the management and prevention of syphilis and congenital syphilis for the public health workforce and their partner agencies who care for people of reproductive age and their babies. The series focuses on key strategies for providers, clinical administrators, clinic support staff, DIS, and the community to decrease the rising rate of syphilis and congenital syphilis in Texas. It aims to enhance syphilis screening, provide timely syphilis treatment, and work collaboratively to prevent new cases of congenital syphilis. The podcast is a collaborative effort with the Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) Congenital Syphilis team, PHFU staff, and Denver Prevention Training Center. Listeners can find the podcast on platforms such as Apple, Spotify, and Google podcast by searching, “Exploring an Epidemic: Congenital Syphilis in Texas.”
Congenital Syphilis Call to Action – DSHS released a
call to action on November 23, 2020 in response to an ongoing increase in congenital syphilis and syphilis cases among women of childbearing age.
What is Congenital Syphilis?
Nationally, the number of combined STD cases continues to break records and Texas has not been immune to the STD epidemic. These rising rates of STDs, especially syphilis, has led to the tragic consequence of rising rates of syphilis in newborns.
Syphilis in newborns is known as Congenital Syphilis (CS). When syphilis is untreated or inadequately treated, it can be passed during pregnancy or at delivery to an unborn child. A syphilis diagnosis during pregnancy increases adverse pregnancy outcomes including miscarriage, stillbirth, or preterm delivery. CS can also lead to health complications like hydrops fetalis (extreme swelling), hepatosplenomegaly (swelling of the liver and/or spleen), rashes, fever, anemia, failure to thrive, blindness, deafness, or deformities of the face, teeth, and bones, and even perinatal death.
Congenital Syphilis Logic Model and Work Plan (PDF)
Congenital Syphilis Legislative Report (PDF)
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Reporting Congenital Syphilis
Provider Resources
Program Resources
Data and Surveillance
For the Public
FIMR
Exploring an Epidemic podcast |