Preventing syphilis in pregnant people in Rio de Janeiro
Official title: Evaluation of antimicrobial prophylaxis to prevent syphilis in pregnancy in patients at risk in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Funded at University of California Los Angeles · NIH-11458760 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A clinical trial in Brazil tests a pregnancy-safe antibiotic plan to stop syphilis from affecting babies.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of California Los Angeles NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Los Angeles, United States) |
| Project start | August 25, 2025 |
| Project end | July 31, 2030 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $379,957 |
| NIH project number | 3R01AI187414-02S1 |
| Project ID | NIH-11458760 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Pregnant individuals in Rio de Janeiro who test positive for syphilis or are at high risk of syphilis infection during pregnancy.
✕Less likely to help
Pregnant people without syphilis or those not eligible for the trial criteria may not receive any direct benefit.
What this research studies
This project plans a randomized trial in Rio de Janeiro to prevent maternal syphilis from being transmitted to the fetus, using proven antimicrobial strategies within the local health system. It builds on long-standing international collaborations and NICHD-supported methods to protect newborns. Participants would be pregnant individuals at risk for syphilis who receive standard care plus the trial intervention, with careful monitoring for safety and outcomes.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the approach could reduce congenital syphilis and improve birth outcomes for mothers and babies.
How similar studies have gone: Prior vertical transmission studies and NICHD trials have informed similar prevention strategies in pregnancy, supporting potential benefit.
Where this research is happening
-
University of California Los Angeles
Los Angeles, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Nielsen, Karin — University of California Los Angeles
- Study coordinator: Nielsen, Karin
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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Syphilis in Pregnancy: Understanding Infection in Moms and Babies
A study following pregnant women with syphilis and their babies to learn how the infection affects pregnancy and newborn health.
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Syphilis in Pregnancy: Molecular Tests and Immune Responses in Mom and Baby
A study to understand how syphilis affects pregnancy and newborns by using molecular tests and tracking immune responses in 750 pregnant women with syphilis and their babies.
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Preventing congenital syphilis in pregnant people at risk in Rio de Janeiro
A clinical trial will test a treatment approach during pregnancy to reduce syphilis transmission from mother to baby for pregnant people at risk in Rio de Janeiro.
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Syphilis in Pregnancy: Molecular Tests and Immune Responses in Moms and Babies
This study follows pregnant women with syphilis and their babies to understand how the infection affects both, using advanced tests to learn more about the immune response and how the infection passes to the baby.
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Improving testing and immune care for syphilis in pregnancy
Researchers will use advanced lab tests and follow pregnant women with syphilis and their babies to learn how the infection and immune responses affect birth outcomes.
-
Syphilis in pregnancy: improved tests and mother–baby immune responses
This project looks at better laboratory tests and how mothers' and newborns' immune systems respond to syphilis in pregnant people in Cameroon and Zambia.
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.