About the Series
Syphilis continues to pose an important clinical and public health challenge across the Region of the Americas, including the resurgence of adult and congenital syphilis. This webinar series brings clinical updates together with programmatic, laboratory, surveillance, and implementation perspectives.
Developed jointly by the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) and the WHO Collaborating Centre for Sexually Transmitted Infections at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine (LSHTM), the series brings together regional and international experts in STI clinical practice, diagnostics, research, and public health.
Each session uses a case-based format designed for practical application in clinical and public-health settings. Sessions are intended for health professionals, public health practitioners, laboratory professionals, programme managers, and others working in syphilis prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and elimination.
One registration covers the full webinar series.
Program
Five sessions move from diagnosis and treatment through linkage to care, key populations, and prevention of congenital syphilis.
SESSION 1:
DIAGNOSIS AND LABORATORY APPROACHES
Date: September 29, 2026
Time: 10:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m. Eastern Time | (UTC-4)
A practical review of clinical staging and natural history, current laboratory diagnosis, testing algorithms, interpretation of serology, rapid and dual HIV/syphilis tests, and evaluation of neurosyphilis.
Chair: Joe Tucker - University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill · LSHTM.
Evidence Presentation: Valerie Wilson - Caribbean Med Labs Foundation.
Case Presenter: Tina Hylton-Kong - University of the West Indies, Mona.
Learning objectives:
- Recognise the clinical features of primary, secondary, latent, and tertiary syphilis.
- Select and interpret appropriate serological tests, including reverse-sequence algorithms.
- Identify when CSF examination and neurosyphilis evaluation are indicated.
SESSION 2:
TREATMENT AND CLINICAL MANAGEMENT
Date: September 30, 2026
Time: 10:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m. Eastern Time | (UTC-4)
An update on stage-appropriate treatment, benzathine penicillin G regimens, penicillin allergy and treatment reactions, alternatives, neurosyphilis, follow-up, and interpretation of treatment failure versus reinfection.
Chair: Michael Marks - LSHTM · University College London Hospitals.
Evidence Presentation: Adele Schwartz Benzaken - AIDS Healthcare Foundation.
Case Presenter: To Be Confirmed.
Learning objectives:
- Prescribe stage-appropriate treatment in line with current PAHO/WHO guidance.
- Manage penicillin allergy, treatment reactions, and complex presentations.
- Distinguish treatment failure from reinfection and act on serological follow-up.
SESSION 3:
LINKAGE TO CARE
Date: September 30, 2026
Time: 11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. Eastern Time | (UTC-4)
A focused discussion on what happens after diagnosis: systems for linkage to syphilis care, barriers that delay treatment and continuity, and implementation strategies that can strengthen timely access to care.
Chair: Emma Slaymaker - London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine.
Evidence Presentation: Angelica Espinosa Miranda - Federal University of Espírito Santo (UFES).
Case Presenter: Mayara Secco Torres Silva - INI–Fiocruz, Rio de Janeiro.
Learning objectives:
- Identify main challenges with linkage to care in line with current PAHO/WHO guidance.
- Understand key implementation strategies to promote linkage to care.
SESSION 4:
PUBLIC HEALTH AND KEY POPULATIONS
Date: October 07, 2026
Time: 10:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m. Eastern Time | (UTC-4)
A review of the resurgence of syphilis among key populations, integrated service delivery with HIV, antenatal and primary care, partner services, surveillance, and emerging prevention approaches including doxycycline post-exposure prophylaxis.
Chair: Philippe Mayaud - London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine
Evidence Presentation: Ariel Campos - University of Guadalajara
Case Presenter: To be Confirmed
Learning objectives:
- Apply integrated service delivery models that combine syphilis with HIV and ANC platforms
- Critically appraise the evidence on emerging prevention strategies such as DoxyPEP
SESSION 5:
SYPHILIS AND PREGNANCY AND CONGENITAL SYPHILIS
Date: October 21, 2026
Time: 10:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m. Eastern Time | (UTC-4)
A clinical and programmatic review of antenatal screening, treatment during pregnancy, partner management, evaluation and treatment of exposed or infected newborns, and the EMTCT Plus framework.
Chair: Emma Harding-Esch - London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine
Evidence presentation: Lindley Barbee - US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Case presenter: To be Confirmed
Learning objectives:
- Implement antenatal screening and treatment to prevent mother-to-child transmission.
- Evaluate and manage the neonate exposed to or infected with syphilis.
- Apply EMTCT Plus indicators and case definitions in clinical and programmatic practice.
Experts
The series brings together clinicians, researchers, laboratory experts, programme specialists, and public-health practitioners from across the Americas and beyond.
