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SOLID RELATIONSHIPS.
SOLID MARRIAGES. |
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THE
FACTS ABOUT SYPHILIS
What
is syphilis?
Treponema pallidum is a centuries-old, highly infectious bacterium
that causes syphilis.
How
many people have syphilis?
The numbers of people reported with syphilis in the U.S. decreased dramatically
between the mid-1940s and 2000 (falling from almost 100,000 yearly cases
of primary and secondary syphilis to less than 6,000); numbers of reported
cases have risen slightly since then. People in correctional
institutions, people living in southern states, men and African Americans
are disproportionately affected.
How does someone get syphilis?
Syphilis transmission usually occurs during vaginal, anal or oral sex
when syphilitic sores or patches come into contact with slightly broken
skin or mucous membranes. Women who catch syphilis within a few years
before they get pregnant and who fail to get treated often (70 percent)
pass syphilis on to their infants. Forty percent of women who
acquire syphilis during pregnancy and who go without treatment will
lose the child.
What
are the symptoms?
Syphilis has been called “The Great Imitator” because so
many of the signs and symptoms resemble other diseases. The primary
stage of syphilis is usually marked by the appearance of a single sore
(chancre), although multiple sores may develop. The chancre is usually
firm, round and painless and appears about three weeks after exposure
at the spot where the syphilis bacteria entered the body. Left untreated,
the chancre heals in 3-6 weeks, but the infection may progress to the
secondary stage of syphilis.
The secondary stage starts when one or more areas of the skin break into an itch-less rash. Additional symptoms of secondary syphilis may include fever, swollen lymph glands, sore throat, patchy hair loss, headaches, weight loss, muscle aches and fatigue.
Tertiary symptoms include incoordination, paralysis, numbness, gradual blindness and severe confusion.
How
does someone find out s(he) has syphilis?
Primary and secondary syphilis are generally diagnosed with a blood
test. The diagnosis of tertiary syphilis usually requires a test on
cerebrospinal fluid (ie, fluid that normally surrounds the brain and
spinal cord).
How
is syphilis
treated?
There are no home remedies or over-the-counter treatments for syphilis;
however, a single dose of an antibiotic (usually penicillin) can cure
a person who has been infected for less than a year. Larger doses are
needed to cure someone who has had it for more than a year. While antibiotics
are extremely effective at killing the syphilis bacterium, they will
not repair or reverse the damage already caused by the disease.
What
are some of the long-term effects of syphilis?
Left untreated, secondary syphilis may develop into the tertiary stage
resulting in damage to internal organs, including the brain, nerves,
eyes, heart, blood vessels, liver, bones and joints. The damage can
be serious enough to cause death.
How
can teens avoid getting syphilis?
Because
most infected individuals are unaware that they have syphilis, having
a sexual partner who has no symptoms offers no guarantee.
Abstinence
from sexual activity - including oral sex - or lifetime faithfulness
to one uninfected partner is the only certain way for your teen to avoid
being infected sexually. If
your teen has already been sexually active, he or she needs to be tested
for STDs.
Learn about other common STDs...
| Chlamydia |
Information adapted from The Medical Institute for Sexual
Health web site.
www.medinstitute.org