Overview •SYPHILIS IS AN STD THAT CAN CAUSE LONG-TERM complica? ons if not treated correctly. Symptoms in adults are divided into stages. These stages are primary, secondary, latent, and late syphilis. Transmission •You can get syphilis by direct contact with a syphilis sore during vaginal, anal, or oral sex. Sores can be found on the penis, vagina, anus, in the rectum, or on the lips and in the mouth. Syphilis can also be spread from an infected mother to her unborn baby. Symptoms •The painless syphilis sore that appears a#er you are $rst infected can be confused for an ingrown hair, zipper cut, or other bump.
The non- itchy body rash that develops during the second stage of syphilis can show up on the palms of your hands and soles of your feet, all over your body, or in just a few places. You could also be infected with syphilis and have very mild symptoms or none at all. Syphilis during Pregnancy •If a woman is pregnant and has syphilis, she can give the infec? on to her unborn baby. Having syphilis can lead to a low birth weight baby. It can cause an early delivery or the baby may be s? llborn. An infected baby may be born without signs or symptoms of the disease.
However, if not treated immediately, the baby may develop serious problems within a few weeks. Untreated babies can have health problems such as cataracts, deafness, or seizures, and can die. Primary Stage During the $rst (primary) stage of syphilis, you may no? ce a single sore or mul? ple sores. The sore is the loca? on where syphilis entered the body. The sore is usually $rm, round, and painless. Because the sore is painless, it can easily go unno? ced. The sore lasts 3 to 6 weeks and heals regardless of whether or not you receive treatment. Even though the sore goes away, you must s? ll receive treatment so that the infec? on does not move to the secondary stage.
Secondary Stage •During the secondary stage, the pa? ent may have skin rashes and/or sores in the mouth, vagina, or anus. This stage usually starts with a rash on one or more areas of the body. The rash can show up when the primary sore is healing or several weeks a#er the sore has healed. The rash may look like rough, red, or reddish brown spots on the palms of your hands and/or the bo2oms of your feet. The rash usually won’t itch and it is some? mes unno? ceable. Other symptoms may include fever, swollen lymph nodes, sore throat, patchy hair loss, headaches, weight loss, muscle aches, and fa?gue. Latent Stage •The latent stage of syphilis begins when all of the earlier symptoms disappear.
If not treated, you can con? nue to have syphilis in your body for years without any signs or symptoms. Most people with untreated syphilis do not develop late stage syphilis. However, when it does happen it is very serious and would occur 10–30 years a#er the infec? on began. Symptoms of the late stage of syphilis include di8culty coordina? ng muscle movements, paralysis, numbness, blindness, and demen? a. In the late stages of syphilis, the disease damages the internal organs and can result in death.
Diagnosis •Most of the ? me, a blood test can be used to test for syphilis. Some health care providers will diagnose syphilis by tes? ng 9uid from a syphilis sore. Treatment •A single dose of penicillin is extremely e:ec? ve in trea? ng the early stages of syphilis, and is fairly e:ec? ve, in larger doses, in trea? ng the later stages of the disease. If the disease progresses to the third stage, permanent damage to the heart or nervous system can occur. •If the pa? ent is allergic to penicillin, the doctor may prescribe azithromycin or doxycycline instead.