Symptoms and Treatment of Syphilis

Syphilis is a highly contagious bacterial infection caused by the bacterium Treponema pallidum. Syphilis is transmitted through anal, oral, or vaginal sexual contact. Infection is caused by direct contact with a syphilis sore called a Chancre. These sores can be present on the penis, in and outside the vagina, on the anus, and lips, or inside the rectum, and mouth. Syphilis can also be transmitted through a tainted blood transfusion, kissing, and from a mother to her unborn child. Early diagnosis and treatment can cure syphilis however, left untreated can cause serious complications and in some cases death.

Symptoms of Syphilis:

Primary: Signs typically occur within 10 to 90 days including:

* A single sore (Chancre) is usually present however multiple sores may appear. The sores are small, firm, and painless. They last for 3 to 6 weeks and will heal without treatment but the disease remains with you.

* Lymph nodes of the groin may be inflamed

Secondary: Signs typically occur within 2 to 10 weeks of the sore. Secondary symptoms will go away without treatment but the disease stays with you progressing to the next stage. Secondary symptoms may include:

* Fever

* Fatigue

* Aching

* Rash with red sores

* Sore throat

* Hair loss

* Weight loss

Latent: In the latent stage of syphilis, there may be no symptoms at all, also known as the “hidden” stage. The latent stage of syphilis can last for many years.

Tertiary: Bacteria can spread causing serious damage of the internal organs and even death. Symptoms can show up as late from 10 to 20 years after the initial infection. Tertiary symptoms may include:

* Numbness

* Paralysis

* Stroke

* Meningitis

* Deafness

* Dementia

* Brain membrane inflammation

* Aneurysm

* Aortic value stenosis

* Death

Special Considerations:

* Any adult with sexually transmitted syphilis is at a much higher risk of developing HIV. The chancre better enables HIV to enter the bloodstream during sex.

* More than half of the women who are pregnant and have active syphilis can pass it on to their unborn child. Almost half of those babies that do contract syphilis will die due to miscarriage, being still born or will only live for a few days beyond birth. Mothers infected should be treated during pregnancy and the baby should be treated as soon as it is born.

* Men who have unprotected sex with other men are at a greater risk of being infected with syphilis and subsequently HIV.

* Serologic tests for syphilis can yield a false positive result if certain other conditions are present. Be sure the doctor testing you knows your medical history and any current diseases or conditions.

If you think you are infected, you should visit your nearest doctor for necessary testing. Cell samples of the chancre are used for microscopic examination. A blood test will reveal syphilis antibodies. In tertiary stages, a lumbar puncture may be necessary to test cerebrospinal fluids.

Treatments for Syphilis:

Prescription antibiotics are used in treating syphilis. In the early stages, syphilis is easily treated using penicillin or other antibiotics via a single intramuscular injection. If the infection has been for more than a year, additional injections will be required to kill the bacterium.

The first day you receive treatment for syphilis you may experience the Jarisch-Herxheimer reaction because the bacterium are dying. Possible symptoms are:

* Nausea

* Fever

* Headache

* Chills

* Body Aches

For more information visit:

* Local Health Department

* Center for Disease Control and Prevention at www.cdc.gov/std

* American Social Health Association at www.ashastd.org

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DISCLAIMER: All information is intended for your general knowledge only and is not a guarantee of any success.  This informations has been previously researched but you should do your own research to expand your knowledge. This should not be consider as medical advice.