SYPHLIS IN BRAZIL AND THE GROWING NUMBER OF CASES (Atena Editora)

Abstract

This article aims to discuss the reality of syphilis in the country and discuss justifications for its increase in recent years. This is a literature review on the increase in the number of syphilis cases in Brazil, from 2010 to 2018, carried out through consultations with DATASUS and scientific works on the same topic, in Portuguese, English and Spanish, published in the period from 2017 to 2022. Syphilis is a chronic infectious disease caused by the bacterium Treponema pallidum, transmitted sexually or vertically, treated with a penicillin-based antibiotic and can manifest itself in several ways, including asymptomatic. Even though it is a well-defined and well-known disease, it is still considered a public health problem in the country due to the increasing number of cases of both acquired, gestational and congenital syphilis. Among the factors that explain this difficult control of syphilis in Brazil are the low adherence to barrier contraceptive methods; the multiplicity of partners; early onset of sexual activity; the high transmissibility of the disease; disinformation; the difficult access to the health service in some regions, in addition to the low rate of monitoring and treatment of individuals already infected, especially in pregnant women, which culminates in vertical infection. This is reflected not only in the Brazilian reality, but also worldwide, reaching 12 million cases per year worldwide. As a result, it is essential to disseminate information on the forms of contagion and prevention of the disease, and on the importance of monitoring and early treatment of those infected, in order to interrupt transmission and prevent new infections.