Syphilis could be a sexually transmitted infection (STI) caused by a kind of bacterium called Treponema
pallidum. it is most likely to spread during oral, anal, or
vaginal sexual activity.
People rarely pass the bacteria on through kissing. Along with this, if a pregnant woman is suffering from this disease, then the it will transmit to her child.
RISK FACTORS
You’re at higher risk of getting syphilis if you:
- Have unprotected sex
- Have multiple sex partners
- Have HIV
SIGN, SYMPTOM AND STAGES
The four stages of syphilis are:
- primary
- secondary
- latent
- tertiary
Syphilis is most infectious in the first two stages.
When syphilis is in the hidden, or latent, stage, the disease remains active but often with no symptoms. Tertiary syphilis is the most dangerous to health.
PRIMARY SYPHILIS
The primary stage of syphilis occurs about three to four weeks after a person contracts the bacteria. It begins with a small, round sore called a chancre. A chancre is painless, but it’s highly infectious. This sore may appear wherever the bacteria entered the body, such as on or inside the mouth, genitals, or rectum.
On average, the sore shows up around three weeks after infection, but it can take between 10 and 90 days to appear. The sore remains for anywhere between two to six weeks.
SECONDARY SYPHILIS
This stage begins 6 weeks to 6 months after you’re exposed. Skin rashes and a sore throat may develop during the second stage of syphilis. The rash won’t itch and is usually found on the soles and palms, but it may occur anywhere on the body. Some people don’t notice the rash before it goes away.
Other symptoms of secondary syphilis may include:
These symptoms will go away whether or not treatment is received. However, without treatment, a person still has syphilis.
Secondary syphilis is often mistaken for another condition.
LATENT SYPHILIS
If you aren't treated for syphilis, the disease moves from the secondary stage to the hidden (latent) stage, when you have no symptoms. The latent stage can last for years. Signs and symptoms may never return, or the disease may progress to the third (tertiary) stage.
TERTIARY SYPHILIS
Tertiary syphilis can occur 10–30 years after the onset of the infection, usually after a period of latency during which there are no symptoms.The last stage of infection is tertiary syphilis. Tertiary syphilis can be life-threatening. Some other potential outcomes of tertiary syphilis include:
Organ damage means that tertiary syphilis can often lead to death. Treating syphilis before it reaches this stage is, therefore, critical.
SYPHILIS DIAGNOSIS AND TEST
- Blood tests. A quick test at your doctor’s office or a public health clinic can diagnose syphilis.
- Cerebrospinal fluid tests. If your doctor thinks you might have neurosyphilis, they’ll test fluid taken from around your spinal cord.
- Darkfield microscopy. Syphilis bacteria are visible through a microscope in fluid taken from a skin sore or lymph node
TREATMENT FOR SYPHILIS
Primary and secondary syphilis are easy to treat with a penicillin injection. Penicillin is one of the most widely used antibiotics and is usually effective in treating syphilis. People who are allergic to penicillin will likely be treated with a different antibiotic, such as:
If you have neurosyphilis, you’ll get daily doses of penicillin intravenously. This will often require a brief hospital stay. Unfortunately, the damage caused by late syphilis can’t be reversed. The bacteria can be killed, but treatment will most likely focus on easing pain and discomfort.
During treatment, make sure to avoid sexual contact until all sores on your body are healed and your doctor tells you it’s safe to resume sex. If you’re sexually active, your partner should be treated as well. Don’t resume sexual activity until you and your partner have completed treatment.
SYPHILIS PREVENTION
You can get syphilis again after treatment kills the infection. To reduce your risk of syphilis infection:
- Don’t have intimate contact with someone if you know they’re infected.
- If you don’t know whether a sexual partner is infected, use a condom every time you have sex.
