Seroprevalence of Syphilis among Pregnant Women Attending Antenatal Care in Kogi West, Nigeria

Abstract

This research was carried out among two hundred (200) pregnant women attending Maria Goretti Hospital, Anyigba and Holley Memorial Hospital, Ochadamu both in Kogi West of Kogi State, Nigeria. The research determined the prevalence of syphilis among the antenatal patients. On each, 4 ml of blood sample was collected intravenously in EDTA bottles and the samples were examined with VDRL test kit, a one-step Anti-TP Rapid Screen Test (a chromatographic imminoassay) for qualitative detection of antibodies to TP in human serum. Two purified recombinant antigens of TP are used in test band as capture materials and gold conjugates. It was observed that only 2.0% were positive to syphilis. The results from this finding were related to the patient’s social demographic variables such as age, occupational status, level of education and marital status. Of all these, patients occupational status attending the Maria Goretti Hospital was statistically associated with syphilis sero-positivity (P<0.05). Age related sero-prevalence showed that only those under 20 yrs of age were seropositive for syphilis infection and this is suggestive of high sexual activity among these age bracket. Therefore routine screening for Treponema pallidum during antenatal care should be strengthened to reduce the risk of mother to child transmission.