Using the following information, determine what the disease is andhow the infant

Question

Using the following information, determine what the disease is andhow the infant’s illness might have been prevented:

May 11: A 23 year old woman has her first prenatalexamination. She is 4 ½ months pregnant. HerVDRL results are negative.

June 6: The woman returns to her physician complaining of alabial lesion of a few days’ duration. A biopsy isnegative for malignancy, and herpes test results are negative.

July 1: The woman returns to her physician because the labiallesion continues to cause some discomfort.

Sept. 15: The baby’s father has multiple penile lesionsand a generalized body rash.

Sept. 25: The woman delivers her baby. Her RPR is 1:32and the infant’s is 1:128.

Oct. 1: The woman takes her infant to a pediatrician becausethe baby is lethargic. She is told the infant is healthy andnot to worry.

Oct. 2: The baby’s father has a persistent body rashand plantar and palmar rashes.

Nov. 8: The infant becomes acutely ill with and ishospitalized. The admitting physician finds signs ofosteochondritis.

Explanation / Answer

The disease is syphilis. Lesions of the genital parts are usually seen in herpes andsyphilis infections.But the herpes tests are negative.So we cansafely assume that the disease is syphilis.Earlier the VDRL resultsof the mother were negative.But later at the time of delivery ofthe baby her RPR results show that she has syphilis.The baby'sresults too show that it has syphilis.The labial lesions show thatthe mother had syphilis.The penile lesions show that the father hadsyphilis. The organism causing the disease of syphilis isTreponema pallidum . After 6-8 weeks of infection then only the effects ofthe infection will be seen. The infant refuses to move due to bone pain causedby osteochondritis. Prevention of illness ofinfant: 1.Syphilis can be easily prevented.Anylesions on the genital parts should be examined for both syphilisand herpes in both father and mother. 2.Examination should be done even if lesions are notpresent.This can be done by RPR test. 3.Finally,promiscuous sex should not be done.This is becausethere is a great risk of the parent being infected by an outsiderand then transmitting it to his/her partner.Finally the babysuffers. hope this helps

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