🔍What Is Syphilis?

Syphilis is a sexually transmitted infection (STI) caused by the bacterium Treponema pallidum. The infection spreads primarily through direct contact with a syphilis sore during sexual activity. It can also be transmitted from a pregnant person to their baby.

While the number of cases has been rising globally, the good news is that syphilis is easily identifiable and curable with antibiotics.

⚠️How Does Syphilis Spread?

Syphilis is highly contagious, especially during its primary and secondary stages. The primary modes of transmission include:

• Direct Sexual Contact: Vaginal, anal, or oral sex with an infected person. The bacteria enter the body through contact with a syphilis sore, known as a chancre.
• Mother to Child: A pregnant person with syphilis can pass the infection to their baby during pregnancy or delivery. This is known as congenital syphilis.
• Needle Sharing: While rare, sharing needles for injection drug use can pose a risk.
• Blood Transfusions: This is extremely rare in modern healthcare due to rigorous screening of donated blood.

🧩The 4 Stages of Syphilis

Without treatment, syphilis progresses through four distinct stages. Symptoms vary by stage and can sometimes overlap.

1️⃣ Primary Stage (3 to 90 days after infection)

• Key Symptom: The appearance of a single, firm, round, and painless sore called a chancre.
• Location: The chancre appears at the spot where the bacteria entered the body, typically on the genitals, anus, rectum, or in/around the mouth.
• Note: The sore heals on its own within 3 to 6 weeks, but the infection remains in the body and will progress to the next stage if not treated.

2️⃣ Secondary Stage (Weeks to months after the chancre heals)

• Key Symptom: A non-itchy skin rash. This rash can appear on one or more areas of the body, but it is famously known for appearing on the palms of the hands and soles of the feet.
• Other Symptoms: You may also experience fever, swollen lymph glands, sore throat, patchy hair loss, headaches, weight loss, and fatigue.
• Contagiousness: This stage is highly contagious.

3️⃣ Latent Stage (The "Hidden" Stage)

• Key Symptom: There are no visible signs or symptoms.
• Duration: The latent stage can last for months or even years. The bacteria are still present in the body, and while you may not be contagious to sexual partners after a year, the infection continues to pose a risk to your health and can still be passed to a baby during pregnancy. Treatment is still necessary.

4️⃣ Tertiary Stage (10 to 30 years after initial infection)

This is the most severe stage, occurring in a subset of people with untreated syphilis. It can appear decades after the initial infection and can be fatal.

• Neurosyphilis: Damage to the brain and nervous system, causing dementia, blindness, paralysis, or numbness.
• Cardiovascular Syphilis: Aortic aneurysms and damage to heart valves.
• Gummatous Syphilis: Large sores (gummas) inside the body or on the skin.

🩺How Is Syphilis Diagnosed?

Early and accurate diagnosis is essential for effective treatment and preventing long-term complications. A healthcare provider will typically use one or more of the following methods:

1. Blood Tests: This is the most common method. Tests like VDRL, RPR, and TPHA detect antibodies your body produces to fight the infection.
2. Physical Exam: A doctor will examine your body for any sores (chancres) or rashes.
3. Cerebrospinal Fluid (CSF) Test: If neurosyphilis is suspected, a sample of fluid is taken from the spinal canal (lumbar puncture) to check for signs of infection.

💉Treatment: Is Syphilis Curable?

Yes, syphilis is completely curable with the right antibiotics.

• Primary Treatment: Penicillin, an antibiotic given as an injection, is the most effective treatment for all stages of syphilis.
• For Penicillin Allergies: Other antibiotics, such as doxycycline, may be used.
• Crucial Note: It is vital to complete the full course of treatment, even if symptoms disappear. Not doing so can lead to treatment failure and potential antibiotic resistance. Never self-medicate.

After treatment, follow-up blood tests are required to ensure the infection is cured. Treatment will cure the infection, but it cannot reverse any damage already done in the tertiary stage.

🛡️How to Prevent Syphilis

You can significantly reduce your risk of contracting syphilis by taking the following steps:

• Use Condoms: Consistently and correctly use condoms during all sexual activity.
• Get Tested Regularly: If you are sexually active with multiple partners, regular STI screening is crucial.
• Mutual Monogamy: Being in a long-term, mutually monogamous relationship with a partner who has been tested and is negative for STIs.
• Avoid Contact with Sores: Refrain from sexual contact if you or your partner has any unusual sores or rashes.
• Prenatal Screening: All pregnant individuals should be tested for syphilis during their first prenatal visit.

👶Syphilis in Pregnancy (Congenital Syphilis)

Untreated syphilis in pregnancy is a serious health emergency. It can lead to:

• Miscarriage or stillbirth
• Premature birth or low birth weight
• Severe health problems in the newborn, including bone deformities, severe anemia, and brain damage
• Death shortly after birth

One simple blood test during pregnancy can detect the infection, and treatment with penicillin is safe and effective at preventing transmission to the baby.

❓Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)