Torch syndrome: incidence and consequences in mothers and neonates in Latin America

Abstract

TORCH syndrome (Toxoplasmosis, rubella, cytomegalovirus and herpes) is a maternal infection that affects both the fetus and the newborn. This pathology can be transmitted via the transplacental route, at the time of delivery or by breastfeeding. The objective of this research is to establish the incidence and consequences of TORCH syndrome in mothers and newborns in Latin America. A bibliographic documentary methodology was used, with updated information from the last seven years in different languages of scientific content in the field of health: SCIELO, Science Direct, PubMed, google academic, Dialnet and ELSEVIER. As part of the Latin American study, the maximum incidence of this syndrome at the Latin American level in Brazil is 60% for gestational rubella and 80% for congenital toxoplasmosis, the minimum incidence in Ecuador is 1 to 1.5% in pregnant women and 0.6 to 0.7% in children, both for cytomegalovirus. In TORCH syndrome, fever, general malaise and urinary tract infection are described as clinical manifestations in pregnant women, while neonates present fever and jaundice. As for complications, placental infection occurs in pregnant women, hearing loss, vision and developmental delay in neonates.