Symptoms

Primary Stage

• Painless sores (usually small firm, round and painless) that appear on the spot where the disease entered the body.
• Enlarged lymph nodes.

Secondary Stage

• Appearance of a skin rash which is characterized by brown sores and usually appears on the hands and feet
• Fever
• Fatigue
• Headache
• Loss of appetite
• Hair loss
• These symptoms may come and go throughout a time period of one to two years

Latent Stage: At this stage, signs and symptoms may disappear although the person is still infected. Syphilis remains in the body and damages the joints, organs (including brain and heart), liver and bones. After the damage is done, symptoms include mental illness, blindness, paralysis, inability to coordinate muscle movements and death.

How it works

• The disease is spread by sexual contact.
• It gets passed directly from one person to another through syphilis sores.
• Sores occur mainly on the genital area but can also be found in the mouth.
• An infected woman can pass syphilis along to her unborn child. This child may be born with serious mental or physical problems as a result of the infection.
• It cannot spread through toilet seats, swimming pools, doors, etc.

Treatment

• Syphilis can easily be diagnosed by a simple blood test. The problem is that the symptoms are quite similar to those of many other infections and patients are frequently misdiagnosed.
• Penicillin is the best choice of treatment for all forms of syphilis. A single dose will cure a person who has been infected for less than a year and larger doses are given to anyone infected for greater periods of time.
• For people allergic to penicillin, there are other forms of treatment available.
• While being treated, patients are supposed to abstain from sexual contact until sores are fully healed.

Prevention

Preventing syphilis means approaching sexual relations responsibly. Use condoms to protect both yourself and your partner and if you think you are infected, avoid sexual relations and go to a doctor to be tested.

Outlook

Syphilis is one of the most treatable STIs that currently exists and can be remedied if caught early.

Links

Frequently Asked Questions on Syphilis
Syphilis Treatment with Penicillin
STD Facts – Syphilis