- Signs and Symptoms
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- Syphilis has signs and symptoms that can look like other
more common illnesses. The main sign of syphilis in one stage could be
a rash; in advanced stages, the chief sign might be joint problems or disordered
thinking. For some people who develop syphilis, there are no obvious signs
at all.
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- Congenital Syphilis
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- When a pregnant woman has syphilis, she can transmit
the infection to her unborn child, causing congenital syphilis. By the
age of 2, children born with congenital syphilis show symptoms such as
problems affecting the skin, teeth, bones, liver, blood, kidneys, eyes,
nerves, and brain.
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- Acquired Syphilis
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- Syphilis is a sexually transmitted disease, but if not
diagnosed and treated, the disease can progress to affect the entire body.
Syphilis has three stages - primary, secondary, and late (tertiary) - each
with its own signs and symptoms.
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- Primary Syphilis
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- Primary syphilis begins 2 to 6 weeks after sexual contact
with an infected person. A painless red sore called a chancre appears,
usually on the genitals. Depending on the type of contact, the chancre
may also appear on the mouth or in the rectal area. Usually there are also
enlarged lymph nodes (swollen glands) near the area of the chancre. Without
treatment, the chancre heals after 4 to 6 weeks, leaving a thin scar, and
the second stage of syphilis begins.
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- Secondary Syphilis
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- This stage usually begins 2 to 10 weeks after the chancre
heals. Syphilis bacteria enter the blood and spread through the body causing
many different symptoms, including rash (small red bumps), fever, headache,
loss of appetite, weight loss, sore throat, muscle aches, joint pain, a
generally ill feeling, and enlarged lymph nodes. Gray or white wart-like
patches of skin called condylomata lata can appear on the moist areas around
the anus and vagina. In this stage, syphilis may attack the liver, kidneys,
and eyes or cause meningitis.
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- Late (Tertiary) Syphilis
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- After the secondary stage passes, some people with syphilis
progress to a latent stage where they have no more symptoms. Others go
on to have symptoms of late syphilis that affect the eyes, large blood
vessels, nerves (neurosyphilis), and brain. Late syphilis has many different
signs and symptoms, including memory loss, psychological problems, difficulty
walking, loss of balance, loss of feeling (especially in the legs), problems
with bladder control, impotence, vision problems, and symptoms of heart
disease.
- Description
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- Syphilis is a sexually transmitted disease that is caused
by a microscopic, spiral-shaped (spirochete) bacteria called Treponema
pallidum. Young people between the ages of 15 and 34 who are sexually active
have the highest rates of syphilis.
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- Incubation
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- The average incubation period for syphilis is 21 days,
but it can be as long as 3 months.
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- Duration
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- Penicillin G, an injected penicillin, is the treatment
of choice for any stage of syphilis, and is the only effective treatment
for neurosyphilis. Other antibiotics, like tetracycline or doxycycline,
can be given (but not to children), but may not be as effective. Without
treatment, syphilis can continue for years and can cause serious damage
to the nerves, brain, eyes, heart, and other organs.
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- Contagiousness
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- Syphilis is contagious and can be transmitted by sexual
intercourse with an infected person. The ulcers of the first stage and
the rash of the second stage are especially infectious and can transmit
syphilis to other people. Pregnant women with syphilis can also pass the
infection to their unborn children at any time during pregnancy or even
during birth.
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- Prevention
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- Women can prevent congenital syphilis in their children
by having a blood test for syphilis early in their pregnancy, and possibly
again later in pregnancy. If the test is positive, they will require immediate
treatment with antibiotics to prevent the infection from being passed to
their unborn child. They will also require follow-up testing. All pregnant
women should be screened for syphilis.
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