RecruitingNot ApplicableNCT06082453

Modernizing Perinatal Syphilis Testing

Sponsor

The University of Texas Health Science Center, Houston

Enrollment

924 participants

Start Date

May 2, 2023

Study Type

INTERVENTIONAL

Conditions

Syphilis

Summary

The purpose of this study is to determine the testing performance of real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction and transcription mediated amplification by comparing test performance of these novel molecular tests to current 2021 CDC CS guidelines for maternal/neonatal dyads at risk for syphilis infection and to determine whether CS is associated with adverse neurodevelopmental outcomes.

Eligibility

Max Age: 45 Years

Inclusion Criteria2

Maternal diagnosis of syphilis by 2021 CDC STI guidelines, irrespective of treatment status; AND viable pregnancy with gestational age ≥ 12 weeks OR postpartum ≤ 96 hours from delivery OR Neonates of pregnancies affected by syphilis ≤ 72 hours of birth
Individuals (men and non-pregnant) with syphilis in Harris Health clinic with syphilis

Exclusion Criteria2

Pregnant individuals and neonates who do not meet the criteria of syphilis (false positive)
Planning to move outside of study prior to ND testing

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Interventions

DIAGNOSTIC_TESTQuantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) assay for detection of Treponema pallidum

A quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) assay detects and quantifies DNA in a sample, and the qPCR assay used in this study targets the polA gene of T. pallidum to confirm presence of T. pallidum in a sample. Samples will be collected from the mother/newborn dyad at the time of birth. qPCR data will only be used to determine testing performance and will not be used in clinical management of study participants.

DIAGNOSTIC_TESTAptima Treponema pallidum transcription-mediated amplification (TMA) assay for detection of Treponema pallidum

The Aptima transcription-mediated amplification (TMA) assay used in this study will target RNA of T. pallidum to confirm presence of T. pallidum in a sample. Samples will be collected from the mother/newborn dyad at the time of birth. TMA data will only be used to determine testing performance and will not be used in clinical management of study participants.

OTHERCenter for Disease Control (CDC) Sexually Transmitted Infections (STI) 2021 Treatment Guidelines for diagnosis of syphilis

Using the Center for Disease Control (CDC) Sexually Transmitted Infections (STI) 2021 Treatment Guidelines, new born syphilis infection is categorized by clinical providers at birth as follows: confirmed proven/highly probably, possible congenital syphilis (CS), CS less likely, or CS unlikely. These CS categories are determined using neonatal nontreponemal test results, physical exam of the infant, placental pathology, and maternal serologies and treatment history, and comparison of maternal and neonatal nontreponemal tiers. These data will be collected as part of standard clinical care.