Table 2

Criteria for congenital syphilis cases in Florida, 2013–2014 versus 2018–2019

Criteria for meeting the congenital syphilis case definition2013–2014 (%)2018–2019 (%)Change (%)*
Screened first two trimesters43 (52)150 (58)6
Tested positive for syphilis16 (19)68 (26)7
Mother was reinfected (fourfold titre increase) after initial treatment5 (6)27 (10)4
Treated appropriately infant met case definition5 (6)17 (7)1
Insufficient amount or inappropriate spacing of treatment for stage of disease4 (5)12 (5)0
Mother not treated1 (1)10 (4)4
Premature birth screened <30 days prior to delivery1 (1)0−1
Treated <30 days prior to delivery02 (1)1
Tested negative for syphilis27 (33)82 (32)−1
Not rescreened >30 days before delivery†21 (25)36 (14)−9
Third trimester screen positive, treated <30 days prior to delivery3 (4)8 (3)−1
Negative third trimester screen†2 (2)33 (13)11
Third-trimester screen positive, fourfold titre increase at delivery1 (1)1 (<1)−1
Mother not treated02 (1)1
Treated appropriately infant met case definition02 (1)1
Screened after the first two trimesters, but greater than 30 days prior to delivery11 (13)32 (12)−1
Tested negative for syphilis5 (6)10 (4)−2
Treated <30 days before delivery3 (4)9 (3)−1
Treated appropriately infant met case definition2 (2)4 (2)0
Mother not treated1 (1)4 (2)1
Third trimester screen positive, fourfold titre increase at delivery03 (1)1
Insufficient amount or appropriate spacing of treatment for stage of disease02 (1)1
No recorded syphilis testing more than 30 days prior to delivery29 (35)76 (29)−6
Total83258–

  • *Percentage change in proportion of congenital syphilis cases for each criteria comparing 2018–2019 period against 2013–2014.

  • †P values for χ2 test were less than α=0.05 over the two time periods.