Select the INCORRECT statement concerning congenital syphilis:
A. Late symptoms of the untreated child include keratitis, blindness, saber shin, and mulberry molars
B. Placental examination may show mononuclear infiltrate with spirochetes present
C. The Tertiary syphilis stage is more likely to infect a fetus than either the primary or secondary stages
D. A large percentage of fetuses will die in-utero
E. At birth chronic rhinitis and desquamating rash may be the only symptoms
The correct answer is C. The Tertiary syphilis stage is more likely to infect a fetus than either the primary or secondary stages.
This statement is incorrect because the risk of transmitting syphilis to the fetus is highest during the primary and secondary stages, when the mother has active lesions and a high spirochete load. The tertiary stage is characterized by latent infection, with a lower risk of transmission.