Syphilis

Whatissyphilis?

December1997

Syphilisisaninfectionspreadthroughdirectcontactwithapersonwhohasthedisease, almostalwaysduringsexualcontact.Itisoneofthemostdangeroussexuallytransmitted diseases(STDs).Apregnantwomanwhoisinfectedcanalsospreadsyphilistoherbaby eitherbeforeorduringbirth. Whogetssyphilis? Anypersonwhohassexwithapersoninfectedwithsyphiliscangetthedisease. Whatarethesymptomsofsyphilis? Thefirstsignofsyphilisisusuallyasore,calledchancre,whichispainlessandappears onornearthegenitals,thoughitcanshowupsomewhereelse,suchasthemouthoranus. Itmaybeaccompaniedbyswollenglands,whichdevelopwithinaweekafterthe appearanceoftheinitialsore.Whenthesoreispresent,apersonissaidtohavethe primarystageofsyphilis.Thesoremaydisappearbyitselfwithin1to5weeks,even withouttreatment,butthediseasestaysinthebody. Thesecondarystageofsyphilisbeginsapproximately7weeksafterthesorefirst appears.Themostcommonsymptomduringthisstageisarashwhichmayappearonany partofthebody:trunk,arms,legs,palms,soles,etc.Othersymptomsmayalsooccur whichincludetiredness,fever,sorethroat,headaches,hoarseness,lossofappetite,and swollenglands.Thesesignsandsymptomslast2to6weeks,andwilldisappearevenif notreatmentisreceived. Afterthesecondstage,latent syphilisbeginsduringwhichtherearenoapparentsignsor symptomsofdisease.Thisstagecanoccuranytimeupuntilthediseaseiscuredorthe serioussymptomsoflatesyphilisbegin. Latesyphilisoccurswhenthediseasegoesuntreatedandmayinvolveillnessintheskin, bones,centralnervoussystemandheartandcancausedisabilityordeath. Withpropertreatmentduringtheprimarystage,thesoreswillgoawayandthelater stagesofthediseasewillbeprevented. Howsoondosymptomsappear? Symptomscanappearfrom10to90daysafterapersonbecomesinfected,butusually within3to4weeks.Symptomsareoftennotnoticedorarethoughttobeminorabrasions orheatrashandmedicalcareisnotsoughtrightaway.

Howissyphilisdiagnosed? Inearlysyphilis,asampleoffluidcanbetakenfromthesore(chancre)andcheckedfor theorganism.Laterinthedisease,bloodtestingisrequired. Howissyphilisspread? Syphilisisspreadmainlythroughsexualcontactinwhichthereiscontacttoopensores orbreaksintheskin. Whatisthetreatmentforsyphilis? Syphiliscanbecuredwithantibioticsprescribedbyaphysician,usuallypenicillin, doxycycline,ortetracycline.Theamountoftreatmentrequireddependsonthestageof syphilisthepatientisexperiencing.Followupexaminationisveryimportanttomake surethetreatmenthascuredthedisease. Howcansyphilisbeprevented? NothavingsexistheonlysurewaytoavoidgettingsyphilisoranyotherSTD. Otherwise,limitingthenumberofone'ssexualpartnersreducesthechanceofbeing exposed.Usingcondomscorrectlywithallpartnerswilldecreasethepossibilityof becominginfected.Ifyouthinkyouareinfected,avoidanysexualcontactuntilyouhave visitedadoctor,hospitalorSTDclinic.Ifyouareinfected,notifyyoursexpartners immediatelysotheycanbetestedandtreated. IFYOUHAVEANYOTHERQUESTIONSABOUTANYSEXUALLY TRANSMITTEDDISEASE,PLEASECALLTHEVIRGINIASTD/AIDSHOTLINE AT18005334148.