[kimb1005]

OK..I am not sure if I posted this in the right place so forum people feel free to move me.
I got a call today for a possible foster (and more than likely permanent) placement. The story--infant is two weeks old, is the sixth child of 23 year old mom who has both mental health and developmental issues, and has finished treatment for congenital syphyllis. All other sibs have been tp'r, no family, sibs parents do not want child. I am not very familiar with this STD but apparently STDs are on the rise so...I had to turn this placement down as I have a commitment that would make newborn care difficult right now. But...some questions came to mind and cw really didn't know. Infant received meds and is no longer contagious--does that mean the disease is gone or can it pop up again? Are there any long-term effects? Anyone have any experience with this?

[Boulderbabe]

Hi---your post is a month old, so this info may be too late to help you. But here it is, for the record!

Syphilis can be a devastating disease, if it's not treated. But if a newborn is tested at birth and treated with antibiotics right away, it's no problem at all. It's not contagious, it won't spontaneously reoccur, and it won't have any long term effects.

It is important to know that having had it once doesn't confer any immunity, so the child could of course be reinfected as a sexually active adult, same as anybody else. But if this infection has been treated, there's absolutely nothing at all to worry about.