Acute Hepatic Insufficiency Disclosing Congenital Syphilis in a Neonate

Congenital syphilis is a maternal-fetal infection caused by Treponema pallidum. Early signs are characteristic skin lesions, lymphadenopathy, hepatosplenomegaly, failure to thrive, blood-stained nasal discharge, perioral fissures, meningitis, choroiditis, hydrocephalus, seizures, intellectual disability, osteochondritis, and pseudoparalysis (Parrot atrophy of newborn).

We report the case of a new born on day 1 of life hospitalized for respiratory distress. Clinical examination showed signs of respiratory retraction with hypotonia. The assessment carried out revealed: severe liver insufficiency and infected cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) with sterile culture. The diagnosis of congenital syphilis in our patient was confirmed by a positive serology in the neonate and her mother. The outcome was fatal.