Contents
In line with its mission, the Editorial Board of MedTvoiLokony makes every effort to provide reliable medical content supported by the latest scientific knowledge. The additional flag “Checked Content” indicates that the article has been reviewed by or written directly by a physician. This two-step verification: a medical journalist and a doctor allows us to provide the highest quality content in line with current medical knowledge.
Our commitment in this area has been appreciated, among others, by by the Association of Journalists for Health, which awarded the Editorial Board of MedTvoiLokony with the honorary title of the Great Educator.
In 2017, 33 confirmed cases of syphilis were reported in the EU Member States (189 cases per 7,1 population). The upward trend has continued for several years. Is there an epidemic of syphilis?
Disturbing forecasts
From the report European Center for Prevention and Control diseases show that Europeans have an increasing problem with syphilis, or syphilis. The scale of pale spirochete infections from the XNUMXth to the XNUMXth century was so large that special hospitals for syphilis patients were established. In the XNUMXth century, the crisis was averted and the disease was quickly declared eradicated. According to the latest forecasts, a dangerous bacterium may again pose a serious threat to us.
Syphilis – getting sick in Europe
As reported by Rzeczpospolita, already in 2010 European Union countries noted that more people suffer from syphilis than with AIDS. Within ten years (2010-2017) the number of cases increased by 260, i.e. as much as 70%. The greatest severity of the disease concerns homosexual men (67%) and heterosexual men (13%).
The proportion of patients is increasing especially in Iceland, Malta, Germany, Spain and the United Kingdom. In the last two countries 2017 brought the most diagnosed cases of syphilis (nearly 13 in total). How is the situation in Poland? The number of diagnosed patients with syphilis in 2017 exceeded 1,5 thousand, and some regions (such as Pomerania) recorded even a fourfold increase in the incidence. It is disturbing that children are born with syphilis more and more often (the pale spirochete penetrates the placenta), and the infection is spreading also among adolescents.
What is syphilis and how do you recognize it?
Epidemiologists warn: the actual number of people suffering from syphilis may be much greater than official statistics show. Syphilis belongs to the so-called embarrassing (venereal) diseases, which are usually only diagnosed at a late stage, although they can be diagnosed with a simple blood test. Syphilis can mask itself and give no symptoms for a long time, and if left untreated, it leads to serious complications and increases the susceptibility to HIV entry into the body.
Syphilis is usually infected through sexual contact (including oral contact) with a sexual partner who is a carrier bacteria Treponema pallidum (pale spirochete). Syphilis can also travel through the bloodstream (during a transfusion). The hatching period of bacteria is 10 to 40 days (average 21). If a patient is diagnosed with syphilis, immediate treatment of those who have had intercourse with him within 3 months of the diagnosis of the disease should be started.
first a symptom of syphilis there is a primary lesion in the genitals, genital mucosa, skin, lips, inside cheeks or tongue. The ulceration associated with lymphadenopathy will disappear after about 6 weeks, but this does not cure the disease.
In the second stage of syphilis (9-10 weeks), syphilitic rashes appear, which form oozing papillary eruptions or ulcerative erosions. They are generally not painful, but they can cause general symptoms such as an increase in body temperature, muscle and joint pain, and headaches.
Syphilis? Not my problem
In recent years, in Europe, including Poland, it has been observed an increase in the incidence of syphilis with a simultaneous decrease in the number of tests towards it. The risk of syphilis, but also of other sexually transmitted diseases, does not seem to be a sufficient warning sign for sexually active people – or there is insufficient awareness of the risks.
In the context of syphilis epidemiology, on the one hand, carelessness about sexual behavior (sex without a condom, multiple sexual partners) may be disturbing, on the other hand neglect of prophylaxis, especially regular visits to the doctor and tests for possible sexually transmitted infections. People infected with syphilis should undergo treatment and refrain from intercourse during this time so as not to spread the disease – due to the lack of diagnosis or ignoring the symptoms, this is not always the case.
See more: Poles downplay the problem of syphilis
The lack of a broader health care program may also stand in the way of the effective detection of syphilis. Mandatory tests for syphilis apply to pregnant women, but in the past it was also necessary to perform tests (Wasserman’s test) as part of the employer’s checkups. This facilitated the early detection of the disease, and thus the implementation of treatment and limitation of the further spread of syphilis.
Syphilis detected early enough can be treated with antibiotic therapy.
The use of condoms, especially by people with multiple sexual partners, would benefit from effectively combating the recurrence of this forgotten STD. Proper education, diagnostic tests and contact with a doctor in the case of suspected infection with a venereal disease play a significant role in the prevention of syphilis.
Read also:
- Quick sex, new drugs and old venereal diseases
- Embarrassing diseases are not only transmitted sexually. Here are other routes of infection
- HIVothetic if it was about you?
For a long time you have not been able to find the cause of your ailments or are you still looking for it? Do you want to tell us your story or draw attention to a common health problem? Write to the address [email protected] #Together we can do more