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Research Article Volume 16 Issue 2
Profile and follow-up of children exposed to congenital infections: challenges in referral and adherence to specialized care follow-up
Patrícia Sauchuck Ferreira, Giuliana Lugarini, Marina Pinheiro da Silva Bolinsenha, Yasmin Oliveira Rossoni, Tony Tannous Tahan, Tatiane Emi Hirose, Betina Mendez Alcântara Gabardo, Cristina de Oliveira Rodrigues, Andrea Maciel de Oliveira Rossoni
Received: May 11, 2026 | Published: June 11, 2026
Citation: Ferreira PS, Lugarini G, Bolinsenha MPS, et al. Profile and follow-up of children exposed to congenital infections: challenges in referral and adherence to specialized care follow-up. J Pediatr Neonatal Care. 2026;16(2):81-83. DOI: 10.15406/jpnc.2026.16.00624
Abstract
Introduction: Congenital infections remain an important cause of infant morbidity and mortality and may lead to systemic manifestations, neurological involvement, and late sequelae. Specialized follow-up of these children is essential for early diagnosis, clinical monitoring, and timely initiation of treatment. However, difficulties related to access to specialized consultations and continuity of follow-up may compromise the effectiveness of care. Objective: To identify the main congenital infections referred to a pediatric infectious diseases outpatient clinic, describe the time until the first consultation, evaluate absenteeism, and analyze the adequacy of referrals according to healthcare protocols. Methods: This was an observational, cross-sectional, and retrospective study conducted through the analysis of electronic medical records of newborns exposed to congenital infections referred to a pediatric infectious diseases service at a teaching hospital between April and December 2023. Collected data included diagnosis related to exposure, presence of coinfections, referral method, time until the first consultation, absenteeism, and adequacy of follow-up according to established protocols. The results were analyzed using descriptive statistics. Results: A total of 360 newborns were evaluated. The main identified exposure was syphilis (70.6%), followed by human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) (11.7%), toxoplasmosis (10.0%), hepatitis B (4.2%), hepatitis C (2.8%), cytomegalovirus (1.9%), and herpes simplex virus (1.4%). Coinfections occurred in 5.8% of cases. The median time until the first consultation was 33 days, ranging from 14 to 244 days. Primary absenteeism was observed in 66.2% of referred patients. The healthcare protocol was considered inadequate in 28.4% of cases, mainly due to failure to attend the initial consultation, delays in followup, and loss to follow-up. Conclusion: Although most referrals followed the established healthcare protocols, the high absenteeism rate compromised continuity of care. The findings reinforce the need for integrated strategies involving maternity services, primary healthcare, and specialized services to ensure adherence to follow-up among children exposed to congenital infections.
Keywords: vertical transmission, congenital infections, outpatient follow-up, congenital syphilis, HIV
©2026 Ferreira, et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and build upon your work non-commercially.