Hendrix Health Center

Syphilis

What is it?
Syphilis is a sexually transmitted infection caused by a bacterium called Traponema pallidum and can be very difficult to diagnose.

How do I get it?

• Sexual contact, most often through vaginal, anal, or oral sex.
• A sore develops at the site area of infection. The sores mainly occur on the genitals, vagina, anus, or in the rectum. Sores also occur on the lips and in the mouth.
• Pregnant women can pass the infection on to their fetus during pregnancy.
• Most transmission is from people unaware of their own infection.
• Syphilis cannot be spread through casual contact.
  

Symptoms

• Many people experience no symptoms for years.
• Syphilis infection can occur in multiple stages:

Primary Stage

• Marked by small, firm, round and painless sores at the site where the bacteria entered your body.
• Sometimes there are multiple sores.
• The sore(s) usually develops between 10 and 90 days after infection. The sore(s) lasts from 3 to 6 weeks, and heals without treatment.
• If this stage of syphilis is not treated however, it can move into the secondary stage.

Secondary Stage

• Starts with the development of a rash on one or more areas of the body.
• Most of the rashes are not itchy.
• The rash is often rough, red and often on the palms of the hands or bottoms of the feet.
• The rash usually appears 2 to 10 weeks after the sore is healing or already healed.
• Additional symptoms can include sore throat, fatigue, headache, and swollen lymph glands.
• Symptoms will disappear even without treatment.
• Infection will move into the next stages without treatment.

Latent Stage

• The latent (hidden) stage of syphilis begins when the symptoms of secondary syphilis are over.
• No symptoms are present.
• Syphilis is still present in the body and infection of sexual partners is still possible.
• Without treatment in this stage, syphilis can lead to much more serious complications.

Tertiary Stage

• Includes very rare, but very serious complications such as damage to the heart, eyes, brain, nervous system, bones, joints, and almost any other part of the body.
• Can also result in mental illness, blindness, deafness, memory loss, heart disease, and death.
• Serious complications for women who are pregnant such as still birth, neonatal death, and birth defects.

Potential Complications

• Can increase both the risk of transmitting and getting infected with HIV (human immunodeficiency virus).

Testing

• Usually a blood test.
• Some tests take samples of sores, skin, or spinal fluid.

Treatment

• Penicillin shot. Multiple doses may be necessary.
• Complications due to tertiary stage of syphilis cannot be reversed.
• You should abstain from sex while being treated and all sexual partners should be notified to get tested.

Prevention

• Abstinence or a monogamous relationship with an uninfected partner.
• Using condoms during sex.
• Even if you have had syphilis before, you can be re-infected again.