Laurie: Is it possible to get more information on this case? There are some confusing statements in your posting. For example, you state that the mother's prenatal RPR was positive, but that follow-up blood tests were negative for syphilis. There is a fairly common false positive rate with RPR's (i.e. the test is positive but the person does not have syphilis). The confirmatory tests are treponemal tests such as FTA-ABS or MHA-TP. If they were negative, then the mother does not have syphilis. However, postpartum this mother has a positive RPR. If the original test had been false-positive, then she should have the treponemal confirmatory tests done. Since she is being treated with Penicillin, I must assume that these tests confirmed syphilis. If the mother had syphilis, you are correct that the baby was already exposed. Syphilis has four stages: primary infection, with a mucosal lesion which occurs 9 to 90 days after contracting the disease, and is infectious until it heals in 4-6 weeks; secondary syphilis, usually occurring within weeks or months of the primary, has many symptoms including rashes, fever, weight loss and headache; latent stage, with no symptoms but still an infectious potential, lasting several years; late or tertiary syphilis, which is considered non-infectious. I will look for references if available, but if both mom and babe are treated simultaneously, there appears to be no reason to wean. The usual treatment is benzathine penicillin injections weekly for three weeks. Hope this helps. Alicia. [log in to unmask]