In simple words: Early congenital syphilis is a form of syphilis that babies catch from their mothers during pregnancy or sometimes during birth.It causes symptoms within the first two years of life.Some babies have symptoms right away, such as a rash, fever, or a stuffy nose with bloody mucus. Other babies might seem healthy at first but develop problems later.If left untreated, it can cause serious health issues like bone and teeth problems, vision or hearing loss, and brain damage.

Early symptomatic congenital syphilis refers to any congenital syphilis in which symptoms typically present less than 2 years after birth.Syphilis is a sexually transmitted infection (STI) caused by the bacterium Treponema pallidum. An infected mother can transmit the infection to her baby in the womb (in utero) or less commonly, during delivery through contact with infectious lesions. Congenital syphilis can cause a wide range of symptoms in newborns, including but not limited to: skin rash, fever, hepatosplenomegaly (enlarged liver and spleen), skeletal abnormalities, snuffles (a persistent nasal discharge often blood-tinged), poor feeding, failure to thrive, anemia, jaundice, seizures and neurological problems.

Example 1: A newborn presents with a rash, runny nose, and enlarged liver and spleen. The mother's serological tests reveal untreated syphilis. The infant's blood tests confirm congenital syphilis., An infant at six months old develops poor feeding, failure to thrive, and a persistent nasal discharge. The mother had a history of syphilis during pregnancy. Further examination and testing confirm the diagnosis of early congenital syphilis., A newborn appears healthy at birth, but the mother had untreated syphilis during pregnancy. The infant is tested for syphilis and is found to be positive, despite having no symptoms. The infant is diagnosed with asymptomatic early congenital syphilis.

Documentation should include maternal serological test results, a detailed description of the infant's symptoms (if any), results of any diagnostic tests performed on the infant (e.g., blood tests, dark-field microscopy, X-rays), and the treatment plan.

** Congenital syphilis is a preventable disease.Prenatal screening and treatment of syphilis in pregnant women are crucial for preventing congenital syphilis.If a pregnant woman has syphilis, treatment should be initiated as soon as possible to minimize the risk of transmission to the fetus. All newborns of mothers with syphilis should be tested, even if they appear healthy at birth.