Syphilis

Bacterial infection

• treponema pallidum

People infected

• America- (Primary & Secondary)15,667 people
• America- (congenital)- 322 people
• Gay and bisexual men at highest risk (MSM)
• Syphilis used to be prominent in Sweden

incubation period

• 10-90 days
• No symptoms for years (latent syphilis)

symptoms

• small painless sores
• non itchy skin rash on hands and feet
• nearby lymph nodes swelling

diagnosis

• Primary stage- 1 or more sores on genitals or mouth
• Secondary stage- penny rash on palms and feet
• warts on groin, white patches inside mouth
• latent syphilis- when infection is inactive, no symptoms
• Tertiary stage- problems with heart, brain, nerves

Diagnosis extended

• Tertiary stage- can result in paralysis 
• blindness, dementia, deafness, impotence,
• Death if not treated 15-30 %
• 1st & 2nd stage will resolve without treatment

can we test for it?

yes!

• inexpensive blood test
• fluid scraped from syphilis sore
• Spinal tap

Potential problems

• long term-arthritis, brain damage, blindness
• In rare cases syphilis can kill you
• debilitating in tertiary stage
• if caught early, easily curable with antibiotics

What can you do?

get one

Bibliography

• • http://www.cdc.gov/std/syphilis/
• • http://www.cdc.gov/std/syphilis/STDFact-Syphilis.htm
• • http://www.cdc.gov/std/syphilis/STDFact-MSM-Syphilis.htm
• • http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/syphilis.html
• • http://www.plannedparenthood.org/health-topics/stds-hiv-safer-sex/syphilis-...