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A study of frequency of treponematosis among pregnant women in Mother Hood of Zogbo (Cotonou) shows 5.1 +/- 2.8% of positivity with risk of 5% by TPHA and VDRL. The low level of endemicity, associated with the absence of cutaneous lesions of treponematosis in Cotonou may correspond to a syphilis infection. This study points out the necessity to strengthen the struggle against the all other sexually transmitted diseases (MST) in the same way that the HIV infection in Benin.

The occurring resurgence of endemic treponematoses warrant the renewal of WHO mass campaigns. These various infections, pinta, yaws, bejel and endemic syphilis, are due to a treponema apparently identical to the venereal syphilis one. These different treponematoses do act upon epidemiology of venereal syphilis. The recent outbreak of treponematoses justify the current researches in the development of a treponemal vaccine.

Authors studied the parasitological and serological status of 108 new-born children from 102 deliveries during the 2nd term of 1987 at the Bécédi Maternity Hospital in Ivory Coast. The parasitism frequency of different studied bloods (mother, cord, delivery) is varying from 8 to 14%, antibodies have been found in 81 to 83% cases. The parity has an effect on the placental lesions frequency but not on the parasitism frequency. Children born with a pathogenic placenta have a lower birth weight. The retrospective study of 11,070 deliveries from last years shows that birth weight are lower while the two first pregnancies.

On electron micrographs of spirochetes, the axial fibers are alternatively visible and hidden, i.e. above then under the cytoplasmic cylinder. From this observation the sense of coiling can be inferred. Leptospires are right-handed structures. So are other spirochetes, but it is less conspicuous. The opposite, however, appears on most published photographs and on schematic drawings. The explanation would be that the preparation introduced into the electron microscope was not facing the photographic plate, but turned to the electron beam. Also the picture must not be turned over, neither in the photographic laboratory nor when used as a slide.

Liquid cultures of different strains of Treponema hyodysenteriae, when supplemented with sodium ribonucleate show an increase in the hemolytic activity titers while the number of colony forming units remain constant.

Between March 1 and May 31, 1988, 314 mother-baby couples have been tested for syphilis at confinement in two large hospitals of Kinshasa (Hôpital Mama Yemo and Clinique de Ngaliema). The study used in first instance the Veneral Disease Research Laboratory (VDRL) test. When positive, the results were verified quantitatively with the Treponema Pallidum Hemagglutination (TPHA) reaction. The prevalence levels obtained were low: 0.9% in the newborns and 1.6% in the mothers. In spite of the relative rarity of the disease, clinical examination of all newborns should remain a permanent concern for the clinician, especially for the pediatrician, in order to make sure that the diagnosis be made as soon as possible and treatment started without undue delay. The authors insist on the necessity to adopt, in Kinshasa, measures for veneral disease control aiming at reducing the prevalence of congenital syphilis.

A number of hemolytic strains of treponemes were isolated from normal pigs and pigs which died of swine dysentery. According to their hemolytic pattern, these strains can be differentiated into strongly beta-hemolytic and weakly beta-hemolytic. According to Kinyon and Harris, aside from enteropathogenicity and hemolytic pattern, both fructose fermentation and indole production are the characteristics used in separating the two groups of treponemes. Our comparative study of these two groups of strains shows that while the fermentation activity is low for the strongly beta-hemolytic strains it is high for the weakly beta-hemolytic strains. The latter constitutes a heterogenous group which, contrary to Kinyon and Harris, can only be differentiated from the other strains by their ability to ferment lactose and to produce isovaleric acid in glucose supplemented broth.

A 3 month old girl with congenital syphilis presented with the nephrotic syndrome due to extra membranous glomerulonephritis. The presence of the first component of the classical pathway of complement activation (C1q) in the glomerular deposits and the antitreponemal antibodies in circulating cryoglobulins (titre 1 : 320) support the hypothesis that immune complexes are responsbile for the glomerulonephritis in congenital syphilis.