Argentina reports 92 congenital syphilis cases in the first months of 2025
In 2025, through Epi Week 11 (the week ending March 15), a total of 92 cases of congenital syphilis were reported in Argentina.
The regional distribution shows a predominant concentration in the Central Region, with 55 reported cases, representing 59.8% of the national total. Within this region, the province of Buenos Aires reported the highest number of cases (38), followed by Córdoba (7) and the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires (5).
The Cuyo region reported 18 cases, with Mendoza being the jurisdiction with the largest regional contribution (13 cases). The Northwest Argentina (NOA) and Northeast Argentina (NEA) regions reported significantly lower numbers, with 12 and four cases, respectively. In the NOA region, cases were mainly concentrated in Salta (6) and Catamarca (6), while in the NEA region, Corrientes reported three of the four total cases. Finally, the Southern region reported three cases in Neuquén, the only jurisdiction in that region to record events.
These data reflect a heterogeneous distribution of congenital syphilis notifications in the country, with a marked concentration in the provinces with the highest population density, mainly in the Central region.
Of the total of 92 cases reported in 2025, 40 (43.5%) were confirmed by laboratory criteria, 30 (32.6%) by epidemiological criteria, 21 (22.8%) by clinical criteria, and one (1.1%) by neurosyphilis.
Syphilis is a sexually transmitted infection caused by the bacterium Treponema pallidum, whose main reservoir is humans. It is primarily acquired through sexual contact with an infected person (usually through contact with infectious ulcers present in the genital region, anus, rectum, lips, or mouth); through perinatal transmission via the transplacental route or during childbirth, or through blood transfusion. Sexual transmission typically occurs during primary, secondary, or early latent syphilis.
Congenital syphilis represents one of the most serious manifestations of this disease, imposing a high burden of morbidity and mortality. When the infection in pregnant women is not detected or treated early in pregnancy, the risk of vertical transmission reaches 80%, with devastating consequences for the fetus, such as miscarriage or perinatal death, which occur in up to 40% of cases. And in the newborn, it has a wide spectrum of clinical repercussions, from mild to severe.
The elimination of congenital syphilis is an achievable goal through concerted efforts that include prevention, timely diagnosis—both preconception and in each trimester of pregnancy—and appropriate treatment for all infected pregnant women, as well as their sexual partners.