subject: Syphilis Causes And Treatment [print this page] Syphilis is a common and well known sexually transmitted disease (STD). Sexual intercoarse is the most common of 3 possible ways to contract it. If it is not transmitted sexually, it is possible, but rare, to get an infection through direct contact. Your body will also accept the disease from your birth mother. This is called congenital syphilis.
syphilis is a very difficult disease to diagnose. It is very often confused with other sexual diseases. There is a reported 35,000 cases of syphilis each year, 60% being male. Sadly, syphilis can take the life of its victims if it is left untreated. It can also result in damage to the heart, brain, and nerves. To treat the STD, there are two options; daily pills (this is the least effective method) or penicillin. For treatment, a half dose of penicillin is injected into each buttock.
Causes of Syphilis
The common causes and risk factor's of Syphilis include the following:
A bacterium called Treponema pallidum.
Transfusion of infected blood.
Direct contact with a syphilis sore on the body of an infected person.
An infected pregnant woman can also pass the disease to her unborn child.
Having with more than one partner.
Symptoms of Syphilis
The first symptom of syphilis is often a small, round, firm ulcer called a chancre ("shanker") at the place where the bacteria entered your body.
Fever.
Enlarged lymph nodes in your groin.
Positive serology.
Extragenital chancres occur most commonly above the neck, typically affecting the lips or oral cavity.
Rash - Bilaterally symmetric.
Soreness and aching.
Fatigue
Stages:
Primary stage syphilis symptoms are usually marked by the development of one or more sores. These can appear as early as 10 days following infection, or as late as 90 days, but the appearance of sores at around 3 weeks from infection is typical. These sores are small, round, solid, and painless, and appear at the point of infection. They last for 3 to 6 weeks, and then heal on their own.
The secondary stage of syphilis symptoms is noted for its skin rashes and mucous membrane lesions. The rash will appear as rough, red, or reddish brown spots that are not especially itchy. These rashes may appear differently, however, and this leads to misdiagnosis.
Without treatment, a person with syphilis will continue to have the disease, even though there are no further symptoms. This can go on for many years before late stage syphilis appears. The disease may then go on to cause damage the bones, brain, eyes, heart, nervous system, blood vessels, and liver.
Treatment
Syphilis is a simple matter to cure, if caught in the early stages: only one intramuscular shot of the antibiotic penicillin G or azithromycin is required. However, this is only the case for infections of one year or less. Additional shots will be needed for longer infections. Other antibiotics can be substituted for those who are allergic to penicillin. Treatment for syphilis will cure a person of the disease, but it will not remedy whatever damage has already been done.
