Syphilis Stages, Symptoms and Treatment
STD Cases on the Rise, Early Detection Leads to Effective Treatment
Sep 14, 2009
Syphilis, a sexually transmitted disease (STD) that is completely curable if caught early enough through STD testing, is caused by the bacterium known as Treponema pallidum, according to the Center for Disease Control. Syphilis can be detected by a simple blood test, but is hard to catch in its early stages due to its imitative symptoms.
To raise awareness about the dangers of syphilis and encourage people to get tested for it, some areas are implementing incentive programs in exchange for a simple blood test. In the MSNBC.com article “New Tools to Fight Syphilis? Wal-Mart Gift Cards”, correspondent Brian Alexander describes an incentive program being implemented in Forsyth County, North Carolina, that trades $10 Wal-Mart gift cards in exchange for syphilis and HIV testing.
How Syphilis is Acquired
Syphilis is an STD that is transmitted from person-to-person contact during sexual intimacy. This can be through vaginal, anal or oral contact.
Blood transfusions, although rare, can be a way to contact syphilis as well. Pregnant women can also transmit the disease to their babies.
Syphilis cannot be spread from inanimate objects, such as swimming pools, toilet seats, or sharing clothing or utensils.
Syphilis Symptoms and Stages
The first stage of syphilis is known as the primary stage. This is the stage that has more localized symptoms, such as a sore, called a chancre, that often emit a clear fluid, at the site of infection. This stage lasts approximately four to six weeks, and usually does not cause any other symptoms. During this stage, the infected person is highly contagious to his partner.
The secondary stage of syphilis occurs after the bacteria have had a chance to incubate and spread throughout the body. This can cause symptoms such as a sore throat, fever, muscle aches, loss of appetite, or headache. A rash appears as well, and can be located anywhere on the body. Because these symptoms resemble those of so many other illnesses, syphilis is known as the “great imitator”, according to the CDC. This stage is also a very highly contagious stage of syphilis and usually appears up to six months after the first stage has disappeared.
The third stage is known as the latent stage. This stage can last up to a few years and has no symptoms. After the latent stage, people infected with syphilis enter the fourth stage, which is the most dangerous.
Late stage syphilis leads to complications such as dementia, organ damage, neurological problems and death. According to the CDC, approximately 15% of untreated syphilis cases will lead to this stage and may not occur for up to 20 years after initial infection.
Testing, Treatment and Outcome of Syphilis
Although syphilis can be determined in the first stage by a doctor testing the chancre, syphilis can easily be determined by a blood test. If an infected person has had syphilis for less than a year, one single intramuscular dose of antibiotics will cure the disease. If the person has been infected longer, more doses of antibiotics may be required. It is important to catch this STD in the early stages because damage caused by the disease cannot be reversed.
Facts about Syphilis
Sores caused by syphilis can lead to a higher risk of catching other sexually transmitted diseases, such as HIV infection. It is advised to be tested for syphilis and HIV at the same time. The CDC warns that having syphilis once does not lead to immunity. The disease can be caught again even after successful treatment. If any signs or symptoms of syphilis are suspected, or if any concerns about sexual behavior are present, a blood test should be scheduled with a doctor.
BNC101
Sources: Center for Disease Control, MSNBC.com
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