If you’ve had vaginal, anal, or oral sex with someone infected with the disease, you are at risk of contracting syphilis. However, you need to come into direct contact with an infected lesion. [2] X Research source Agabegi, S. (2013). Step-up to medicine (3rd ed. ). Philadelphia: Wolters Kluwer/Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. [3] X Trustworthy Source National Health Service (UK) Public healthcare system of the UK Go to source Syphilis cannot be spread by shared eating utensils, toilet seats, doorknobs, hot tubs or swimming pools. Men who have sex with men (MSM) are significantly more likely to contract syphilis, with 75% of reported new syphilis cases in 2013. It’s especially important to use safer sex practices if you are a man who has sex with men. [4] X Trustworthy Source Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Main public health institute for the US, run by the Dept. of Health and Human Services Go to source
The primary stage of syphilis most often begins with the appearance of a painless sore called a “chancre,” which is small, hard, circular, and painless. Although there is usually just one sore, there may be more. The sore appears where the disease entered the body. Common infection sites include the mouth, genitals, and anus. [8] X Research source Agabegi, S. (2013). Step-up to medicine (3rd ed. ). Philadelphia: Wolters Kluwer/Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. The sore will heal on its own in 4 to 8 weeks, and won’t leave a scar. However, this does not mean that the syphilis is gone. Without proper treatment, the infection simply moves on to the second stage.
Other symptoms eventually appear in this stage as well. They too are sometimes mistaken for other problems, such as the flu or stress. These symptoms include: fatigue, muscle aches, fever, sore throat, headaches, swollen lymph glands, patchy hair loss, and weight loss. [11] X Research source Le, T. , & Bhushan, V. (2010). First aid for the USMLE step 2 CK (7th ed. ). New York: McGraw-Hill Medical. About a third of those who don’t get treatment during the secondary syphilis stage will develop latent or tertiary syphilis. [12] X Research source Le, T. , & Bhushan, V. (2010). First aid for the USMLE step 2 CK (7th ed. ). New York: McGraw-Hill Medical. The latent stage is the symptom-less period that precedes the appearance of tertiary stage symptoms.
Tertiary stage syphilis can see damage to the brain, heart, eyes, liver, bones, and joints. This damage may be serious enough to cause death. Other symptoms of the tertiary stage include difficulty with muscle movement, numbness, paralysis, progressive blindness, and dementia. [14] X Trustworthy Source Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Main public health institute for the US, run by the Dept. of Health and Human Services Go to source
Intermittent fevers Enlarged spleen and liver (Hepatosplenomegaly) Swollen lymph nodes Chronic sneezing or runny nose with no apparent allergic cause (persistent rhinitis) Maculopapular rashes on the palms and soles
You engage in casual sex You have a sexual partner who’s tested positive for syphilis You have HIV You are a pregnant woman You are a man who has sexual contact with men
Nontreponemal tests: These tests are ideal for screening purposes, and are about 70% accurate. If the test has a positive result, the doctor will confirm the diagnosis with a treponemal test. [17] X Research source Agabegi, S. (2013). Step-up to medicine (3rd ed. ). Philadelphia: Wolters Kluwer/Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. Treponemal tests: These tests for antibodies are more specific, and are used for confirmation rather than screening. Some clinicians test for syphilis by taking a sample from a suspected syphilis sore. They inspect the sample under a specialized microscope to look for treponema pallidum, the bacteria that causes syphilis. [18] X Trustworthy Source National Health Service (UK) Public healthcare system of the UK Go to source All patients should be tested for HIV infection. [19] X Research source Agabegi, S. (2013). Step-up to medicine (3rd ed. ). Philadelphia: Wolters Kluwer/Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.
Let your doctor know if you are allergic to penicillin. He or she will likely recommend a 2-week treatment of doxycycline or tetracycline instead. Note that these alternatives may not be suitable for pregnant women, due to the risk of birth defects. [22] X Trustworthy Source Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Main public health institute for the US, run by the Dept. of Health and Human Services Go to source If pregnancy is an issue, your doctor will discuss additional treatment options with you.
Although the medications will cure syphilis, they cannot repair damage that’s already been done. Note that testing and treatment is similar for babies.
You should also notify all previous sexual partners of your diagnosis, so they can also be tested and treated for syphilis.
Be aware that you may still contract syphilis if the sore is not completely covered by the condom. It’s preferable to use dental dams for oral sex with women, as they usually cover a larger area than condoms that have been cut open. However, if you don’t have a dental dam, you can cut open a male condom and use it instead. Latex and polyurethane condoms offer equal protection against STDs and HIV. “Natural” or “lambskin” condoms do not adequately protect against STDs. [25] X Trustworthy Source National Health Service (UK) Public healthcare system of the UK Go to source Use a new condom for each sex act. Don’t reuse condoms, even for different types of penetration (vaginal, anal, oral) in the same sexual interaction. [26] X Research source Use water-based lubricants with latex condoms. Oil-based lubes such as petroleum jelly, mineral oil, or body lotion can weaken the latex and make you more likely to contract an STD.
The safest option is to be in a monogamous, long-term relationship with a partner who has tested negative for syphilis and other STDs.
Babies who contract syphilis from their mothers are much more likely to be underweight, premature, or even stillborn. Even if the child is born without symptoms, untreated babies can develop serious health issues within a matter of weeks. These issues include deafness, cataracts, seizures, and potentially death. This can be avoided if the mother is tested for syphilis throughout the pregnancy and at the time of delivery. If the test comes back positive, both mother and baby can be treated. [29] X Research source
