Congenital Syphilis Investigation Processes and Timing in Louisiana
| Autor: | Heather Bradley, Joseph Foxhood, Joy Ewell, Mohammad Masudur Rahman, DeAnn Gruber, Hillard Weinstock, Deborah Wendell, Robert D. Kirkcaldy, Camille E. Introcaso |
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| Rok vydání: | 2014 |
| Předmět: |
Adult
Male Microbiology (medical) Pediatrics medicine.medical_specialty Point-of-Care Systems MEDLINE Dermatology Article Pregnancy Prenatal Diagnosis Health care medicine Humans Pregnancy Complications Infectious business.industry Syphilis Congenital Public health Process Assessment Health Care Infant Newborn Public Health Environmental and Occupational Health Infant Louisiana medicine.disease Case management United States Surgery Test (assessment) Infectious Diseases Congenital syphilis Population Surveillance Female Syphilis Public Health business |
| Zdroj: | Sexually Transmitted Diseases. 41:560-563 |
| ISSN: | 0148-5717 |
| Popis: | Background Congenital syphilis (CS) is a potentially life-threatening yet preventable infection. State and local public health jurisdictions conduct investigations of possible CS cases to determine case status and to inform public health prevention efforts. These investigations occur when jurisdictions receive positive syphilis test results from pregnant women or from infants. Methods We extracted data from Louisiana's electronic case management system for 328 infants investigated as possible CS cases in 2010 to 2011. Using date stamps from the case management system, we described CS investigations in terms of processes and timing. Results Eighty-seven investigations were prompted by positive test results from women who were known to be pregnant by the health jurisdiction, and 241 investigations were prompted by positive syphilis test results from infants. Overall, investigations required a median of 101 days to complete, although 25% were complete within 36 days. Investigations prompted by positive test results from infants required a median of 135 days to complete, and those prompted by positive test results from pregnant women required a median of 41 days. Conclusions Three times as many CS investigations began with reported positive syphilis test results from infants as from pregnant women, and these investigations required more time to complete. When CS investigations begin after an infant's birth, the opportunity to ensure that women are treated during pregnancy is missed, and surveillance data cannot inform prevention efforts on a timely basis. Consistently ascertaining pregnancy status among women whose positive syphilis test results are reported to public health jurisdictions could help to assure timely CS prevention efforts. |
| Databáze: | OpenAIRE |
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