Syphilis was first noticed in Europe in the 15th century, coinciding with the return of Christopher Columbus from the Syphilis is caused by a spiral-shaped, snail-like microscopic organism called Treponema pallidum. Because syphilis resembles so many other diseases, it is known as “the great imitator.” The disease progresses over a long period of years with different stages along the way.
The primary syphilitic lesion is the chancre: a circular, painless, and firm sore that appears at the site of the invasion either on the lips, mouth, tongue, nipples, rectum, or genitals anywhere from 9 to 90 days after infection.
Symptoms
There are three distinct stages of syphilis. During the first stage, a large open sore called a chancre forms. It is a painless sore that occurs at the point of contact with the bacteria. In women, chancres can be found on the inside or outside of the , on the cervix, or inside the urethra. In men, the sores can be found anywhere on the penis. For both sexes, chancres can also occur inside the mouth, or around it, on eyelids, chest, face, fingers, breasts, perineum, or anus. These sores only last a couple of weeks, but the disease is still infecting your body.
Six to ten weeks later, the chancre heals by itself, followed by a symptomless time (latent period) of anywhere from six weeks to six months before symptoms of secondary syphilis appear.
Secondary syphilis is marked by rashes of various types that don’t itch and that heal without scars. These rashes indicate that the microbes have traveled through the bloodstream and lymphatic system to every organ and tissue in the body.
Secondary syphilis is followed by another symptomless period, which can last a lifetime, or the disease can reappear after a number of years.
Tertiary syphilis attacks the nervous system and can destroy skin, bone, and joints as well as interrupt the blood supply to the brain. Syphilis can be deadly in this last phase.
Syphilis is passed from one person to another during vaginal intercourse, anal intercourse, kissing, and oral/genital contact. The disease is especially contagious while the sores are present in the primary stage.
Medications
Treatment with long-acting forms of penicillin is effective for primary, secondary, and latent syphilis; however, the damage caused by tertiary syphilis can’t be reversed by penicillin therapy. For people allergic to penicillin, tetracycline or erythromycin may be taken.
The number of syphilis cases in the
