Gates Open Research Open Peer Review Discuss this article (0) Comments RESEARCH ARTICLE Syphilis screening and treatment in pregnant women in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo and in Lusaka, Zambia: a cross-sectional study [version 1; referees: 2 approved] Mabel Berrueta , Maria Luisa Cafferata , Musaku Mwenechanya , Dalau Nkamba Mukadi , Fernando Althabe , Eduardo Bergel , Luz Gibbons , Alvaro Ciganda , Karen Klein , Abigail Mwapule Tembo , Friday Habulembe Mwanakalanga , Ernest Banda , Arlette Mavila Kilonga , Paul Lusamba Dikassa , Xu Xiong , Elwyn Chomba , Antoinette K. Tshefu , Pierre Buekens 4 Institute for Clinical Effectiveness and Health Policy (IECS), Dr. Emilio Ravignani 2024, Buenos Aires, 1414 CABA, Argentina University Teaching Hospital of Lusaka, Private Bag RW1X Ridgeway, Nationalist Road, Lusaka, Zambia Kinshasa School of Public Health, University of Kinshasa, Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo Tulane University School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, 6823 St Charles Ave, New Orleans, LA 70118, USA Abstract Congenital syphilis is associated with perinatal deaths, preterm Background: births and congenital malformations. Low rates of syphilis screening during pregnancy and treatment of those found seropositive have been reported in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Zambia. We report the rates on antenatal syphilis screening, the seroprevalence of syphilis infection, and the frequency of antibiotic treatment in pregnant women screened positive for syphilis during their attendance at antenatal care (ANC) clinics in Kinshasa, DRC and Lusaka, Zambia. Women attending their first ANC were enrolled consecutively during Methods: a 9-month period in 16 and 13 ANC clinics in Kinshasa and Lusaka respectively, in the context of the baseline period of a cluster trial. Study personnel collected data on women’s characteristics, the syphilis screening practices, the test results, and the frequency of treatment, that were done under routine ANC conditions and registered in the clinic records. 4,153 women in Kinshasa and 18,097 women in Lusaka were Results: enrolled. The frequency of screening at the first visit was 59.7% (n= 2,479) in Kinshasa, and 27.8% (n=5,025) in Lusaka. Screening test availability varied. In the periods in which tests were available the screening rates were 92.8% in Kinshasa and 52.0% in Lusaka. The frequency of women screened seropositive was 0.4% (n=10) in Kinshasa and 2.2% (n=109) in Lusaka. Respectively, 10% (n=1) and 11.9% (n= 13) among seropositive women received treatment at the first visit. The results of the study show that screening for syphilis in Conclusions: pregnancy is not universal even when supplies are available. Our ongoing trial will evaluate the impact of a behavioral intervention on changing health 1 1 2 3 1 1 1 1 1 2 2 2 3 3 4 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 Referee Status: Invited Referees version 1 published 08 Dec 2017 1 2 report report , London School of Michael Marks Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, UK 1 , Centers for Disease Mary L. Kamb Control and Prevention (CDC), USA 2 08 Dec 2017, :13 (doi: ) First published: 1 10.12688/gatesopenres.12768.1 08 Dec 2017, :13 (doi: ) Latest published: 1 10.12688/gatesopenres.12768.1 v1 Page 1 of 13 Gates Open Research 2017, 1:13 Last updated: 22 JUN 2018