Case report of an SGA infant with jaundice, direct hyperbilirubinemia, hepatosplenomegaly, thrombocytopenia, and a negative VDRL

Adv Neonatal Care. 2004 Apr;4(2):79-91. doi: 10.1016/j.adnc.2004.01.002.

Abstract

This case report highlights the presentation of syphilis in a small-for-gestational age (SGA) female infant who was born to a mother with no prenatal care. In the first 2 days of life, the infant developed hepatosplenomegaly, conjugated hyperbilirubinemia, thrombocytopenia, and hemolysis. After extensive diagnostic investigation, the case was solved on the infant's day of life (DOL) 12. In retrospect, the health care team had obtained a diagnostic result that could potentially have solved the case on DOL 2. Although this infant suffered no long-term sequelae secondary to the delayed diagnosis, the review of this case presentation may assist other clinicians in an early identification of a potentially lethal diagnosis.

Publication types

  • Case Reports
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Diagnosis, Differential
  • Female
  • Hepatomegaly / diagnosis
  • Humans
  • Hyperbilirubinemia* / diagnosis
  • Hyperbilirubinemia* / etiology
  • Immunoglobulin M / blood
  • Infant, Newborn
  • Infant, Small for Gestational Age*
  • Infectious Disease Transmission, Vertical*
  • Jaundice, Neonatal* / diagnosis
  • Jaundice, Neonatal* / etiology
  • Pregnancy
  • Pregnancy Complications, Infectious / physiopathology
  • Splenomegaly / diagnosis
  • Syphilis, Congenital* / complications
  • Syphilis, Congenital* / diagnosis
  • Syphilis, Congenital* / physiopathology
  • Thrombocytopenia* / diagnosis
  • Thrombocytopenia* / etiology
  • Time Factors

Substances

  • Immunoglobulin M