Syphilis - Symptoms, Treatment and Prevention

Syphilis is an infection caused by corkscrew-shaped bacterium (spirochete), Treponema Pallidu, which mainly spreads through sexual contact. The infection can be treated easily with antibiotics in its early stages and can be prevented by avoiding sexual contact with the infected person.

Syphilis is passed on to another person through direct contact with a syphilis sore. Many times people don’t know about being infected and hence pass on the organism during vaginal, anal or oral sex. If left untreated, it can affect other parts of the body and may be fatal.

Syphilis can elevate a person's risk of being infected with the Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) virus and the chances of giving it to someone else.

A pregnant woman with syphilis can pass it to her unborn baby and can also have complications at birth.

How common is syphilis?

Since 2000, syphilis cases have been rising in the United States. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) the number went down to 2.7 per 100,000 people after a decade of progress in the 1990s. But ever since the rate has soared by 76 percent. In the year 2006, 64 percent of the cases of syphilis were seen among homosexual men.

What are the signs and symptoms?

Many times people do not have any symptoms for years and don’t know they are infected. The disease typically has 3 stages, but only the first two stages are infectious.

First stage:

In the first stage of this infection, a person may have a painless sore on the vulva (lips of vagina), penis or mouth which typically appears two to 12 weeks after sex with an infected person. The sore will disappear completely in 2-3 weeks but even after that without treatment the disease will jump to secondary stage of syphilis.

Second stage:

The secondary stage usually begins two to 4 months after infection. The symptoms may include a generalized skin rash (small red spots)), loss of appetite, weight loss, sore throat, muscle aches, patchy loss of hair or moist lumps around the genitals or anus. If left untreated, these symptoms may go away and then recur over the next two years.

Third stage:

People who have syphilis and don't get treatment may be infectious to sex partners for up to 2 years and some people may develop the next stage of syphilis, called tertiary syphilis.

Syphilis can be cured with antibiotics but if not treated it will develop fatal conditions involving the brain, heart or spinal cord. The symptoms include memory loss, problems with mental function, bladderdefine control and vision problem, impotence and loss of feeling, especially in the legs.

What is the treatment for syphilis?

A simple blood test and physical examination can be conducted by doctor to check whether you have syphilis. Penicillin - an antibioticdefine - is a very effective treatment for syphilis and if you are allergic to penicillin, other treatments are available such as tetracycline. The doctor can also check for any other sexually transmitted diseases such as gonorrhea, chlamydia and HIVdefine.

Let your partner known about your disease because they need to be treated too. Abstain from sex until your treatment has finished and follow up blood tests have confirmed the infection is cured. If you are sexually active, get a regular check up for syphilis and other sexually transmitted diseases (STDs).

How can syphilis be prevented?

1. Practice safe sex; always use latex condom while having sex. Condoms act as a barrier to the transmission of infectious organisms.

2. Limit your number of partners as having multiple sex partners perks up your chances of developing STDs.

3. Substance abuse such as drugs or alcohol may also help prevent transmission of syphilis as such activities may lead to risky sexual behavior.

4. Talk openly with your sex partners about their HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) status and history of other STDs so that preventive action can be taken.

5. Homosexuals or bisexuals must get a regular test for sexually transmitted infection (STI), including a blood test for syphilis.