Syphilis (syphilis) – types, research, causes and treatment. Syphilis symptoms

Syphilis, also known as syphilis, is a mostly sexually transmitted infection that can be treated with antibiotics in the early stages. However, without treatment, syphilis causes serious health problems and can even be fatal. The disease permanently damages the heart, brain, muscles, bones and eyes. To reduce the risk of infection, you should always use condoms during sexual intercourse.

What is Syphilis?

Syfils (Latin lues, syphilis) is an infection caused by the spirochete bacteria (Latin T. pale). These bacteria can spread from person to person through direct contact with an ulcerated area. Such wounds can develop on the skin or mucous membranes of the vagina, anus, rectum, lips or mouth. Syphilis most likely spreads through oral, anal, or vaginal sex. Humans rarely transmit the spirochete bacteria by kissing, although of course there is still a high risk of doing so.

The first symptom is painless skin lesions on the genitals, rectum, mouth or any other part of the skin. Some people don’t notice these changes because they don’t cause pain. These changes are self-limiting. However, if a person is left untreated, the bacteria remain in the body. They can remain dormant in the body for decades before they reactivate and begin to damage organs, including the brain.

See also: You like kissing? Find out how much you know about kisses. How does kissing affect your body and health? Quiz

Syphilis – causes and methods of infection

Syphilis is caused by a bacterial infection caused by the bacterium Treponema pallidum. Its discovery was made in 1905 by German scientists. Initially, a bacterial infection causes little or no symptoms. As time goes on, the infection progresses, affecting many systems in our body, which can have serious consequences.

The only way syphilis can be transmitted is through direct contact with syphilitic ulcers or ulcers. Wounds tend to develop on or in:

1. mouth;
2. the penis;
3. vagina;
4. anus.

Syphilis is mainly transmitted sexually. This means that you can get infected through oral, anal or vaginal sex or direct genital contact. However, there is also another route of infection, namely through the placenta. Babies can become infected with syphilis if their mother has an untreated infection. We are then talking about the so-called primary syphilis. Syphilis can also be transmitted through blood transfusions, although this is extremely rare.

There are many myths about the possibility of contracting syphilis, e.g. by sharing the toilet, using the same dishes as the sick person or using the same clothes. However, it is not possible to contract syphilis because the bacteria that cause this disease cannot live outside the human body for long.

Also read: How can you catch venereal diseases? Embarrassing diseases are not only transmitted sexually

Syphilis – risk factors

Anyone can catch syphilis. However, some factors can increase your chances of catching an infection. The following groups of people have an increased risk of developing syphilis:

1. people who have unprotected sex such as a condom (especially those with multiple sexual partners);
2. men who have sex with other men
3. people with HIV;
4. people have partners who are infected with syphilis.

See also: Safe sex: it is for our health, it is not forced and we enjoy it

Syphilis forms

In the case of syphilis, we can talk about several forms of this disease:

1. primary
2. secondary
3. latent
4. tertiary

Syphilis is the most contagious in the first two forms. When syphilis is latent, the disease remains active but often does not cause symptoms. In turn, tertiary syphilis is the most destructive to health.

Primary syphilis

Primary syphilis (primary syphilis) occurs approximately 3 to 4 weeks after a person becomes infected with the bacteria. It begins with a small, round, ulcerative wound called the primary lesion. The disease is painless but highly contagious. The sick person may not even notice that he has it. A wound can appear anywhere the bacteria has entered the body, such as in the mouth, genitals or rectum. In women, it most often appears on the cervix, clitoris or labia, and in men, on the penis, rectum or mouth.

Ulcers appear on average around 3 weeks after infection, but it can take 10 to 90 days for them to do so. The wounds last for 2 to 6 weeks. Sometimes the only symptom may be swollen lymph nodes. Syphilis is transmitted through direct contact with a wound and it usually happens during sexual activity, including oral sex.

Secondary syphilis

Secondary syphilis (secondary syphilis) is a condition that can include a skin rash and a sore throat. Rash A syphilitic rash is not itchy and is usually found on the palms and soles, but can occur anywhere on the body. It looks like pink spots and reddish patches. Some people don’t notice the rash until it has gone away. In addition, in the area of ​​the genitals and the anus, gray-and-white so-called flat syphilitic condylomas. These changes also appear in the mucous membranes, e.g. on the palate, on the tongue.

Other symptoms of secondary syphilis may include:

1. headaches (due to inflammation of the meninges);
2. swollen lymph nodes;
3. hearing loss (due to otitis); 
4. balance problems (due to labyrinthitis); 
5. visual disturbances (due to inflammation of the retina or the uveal membrane of the eye); 
6. bone pain (due to periostitis);
7. tiredness;
8. fever;
9. weight loss;
10. hair loss;
11. aching joints.

These symptoms will disappear regardless of whether you receive treatment or not. However, without treatment, the patient still has syphilis. It is worth adding that secondary syphilis is sometimes confused with other conditions, such as Gibert’s pink dandruff, lichen planus or psoriasis. This is why syphilis is referred to as the “great follower.” The symptoms of syphilis are nonspecific, making patients not only unaware of their condition, but doctors may also be unaware of the presence of an infection.

Latent syphilis

The third stage of syphilis is the latent stage (latent syphilis). The primary and secondary symptoms disappear and there will be no noticeable symptoms at this stage. However, the bacteria still remain in the body. This stage can take years to develop into tertiary syphilis.

Tertiary syphilis

The last stage of infection is tertiary syphilis (late syphilis). About 14 to 40 percent of people infected with syphilis reach this stage. Tertiary syphilis can occur years or decades after initial infection. This stage may be life-threatening and the potential effects of tertiary syphilis include involvement of the cardiovascular system (cardiovascular syphilis), the presence of inflammatory tumors, the so-called kilaka (kilakine syphilis) and changes in the central nervous system (CNS syphilis).

The presence of one form of late syphilis does not exclude damage to other organs. In the late stages of the disease, the following may occur:

Cerebrospinal syphilis

Cerebrospinal syphilis (Latin. cerebrospinal fluid) is a form of syphilis that develops when bacteria T. pale spread to the nervous system. It is often associated with latent and tertiary syphilis. However, it can occur at any time after the primary stage. A person with cerebrospinal syphilis may remain asymptomatic for a long time. Alternatively, symptoms may develop gradually.

Symptoms include:

1. dementia or altered mental states;
2. abnormal gait;
3. numbness in the limbs;
4. problems with concentration;
5. confusion;
6. headaches or seizures;
7. vision problems or loss of vision.

Kilowatt syphilis

This form of syphilis is characterized by the so-called kilaków, i.e. tumors made of subcutaneous, muscle or bone tissue. These changes occur in the area where the skin adheres to the bone tissue, such as the face, shin, collarbones and sternum. At first, the kilaki resemble hard infiltrates, and with time they only turn into nodules that can burst, releasing a sticky, blood-colored discharge. The resulting ulcers cover large areas of the skin, resembling a kidney.

Cardiovascular syphilis

It is a rare form of syphilis that causes changes in the main artery and aortic crescent-shaped valves, sometimes in the heart muscle and peripheral arteries. Men are more likely to develop cardiovascular syphilis than women, and patients are usually between 40 and 50 years old.

Congenital syphilis

Congenital syphilis is a severe and often life-threatening form of syphilis. It is due to the fact that the bacteria T. pale can be spread from a pregnant woman to her fetus through the placenta and during childbirth. Side effects include early fetal or newborn death, premature birth or low birth weight, and infections in infants.

Symptoms in newborns include:

1. saddle nose lacking the bridge of the nose;
2. fever;
3. difficulty gaining weight;
4. rash on the genitals, anus and mouth;
5. small blisters on the hands and feet that turn into a copper-colored rash and spread to the face;
6. runny fluid from the nose.

Older infants and young children may have:

1. Hutchinson teeth (teeth are smaller and wider apart than normal and have cuts on the biting surface);
2. bone ache;
3. vision loss;
4. hearing loss;
5. joint swelling;
6. deformation of the tibia;
7. scarring of the skin around the genitals, anus and mouth;
8. gray patches around the outside of the vagina and anus.

Also check: Fetal development stages – the first, second and third trimesters of pregnancy

Syphilis – diagnosis

The diagnosis of syphilis is made on the basis of clinical history and physical examination, supported by laboratory and serological tests.

Syphilis can be diagnosed by showing spirochetes T. pale in samples from infected lesions or lymph nodes. Coils can be identified by dark field microscopy or by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). These tests are not always readily available to the diagnosing physician. A skin biopsy may or may not show characteristic histopathological features.

Serological tests to detect antibodies produced from spirochete infection are the most common test used to diagnose an infection. Serological tests do not distinguish between different types of spirochete infections or the duration of the infection.

The spirochete antibody tests can be divided into non-specific or specific tests. Which test you choose depends on what is available from your local lab.

1. Badanie VDRL (z ang. Venereal Diseases Research Laboratory);
2. USR (Unheated Serum Reagin);
3. RPR (the. Rapid Plasma Reagin). 

Specific spirochete tests include:

1. EIA – enzyme immunoassay;
2. TPHA – passive hemagglutination (Treponema Pallidum Hemagglutination Assay);
3. TPI – immobilization reaction – Nelson-Mayer test;
4. FTA and FTA-ABS – Fluoroscent Treponemal Antibody ABSorbent Test. 

After confirmation, the sample is assessed for serological activity of the infection with the RPR / VDRL test.

After high-risk sexual contact, a re-screening is recommended both six and twelve weeks after exposure, since initial serology tests may be negative in primary syphilis. Serological tests are always positive for secondary syphilis, but be careful of the possibility of a hook effect which may lead to a false negative result. The “hook” effect occurs when a high antibody titer interferes with the formation of the antibody-antigen mesh which is necessary for a positive flocculation test result.

False positive serological tests occur especially in autoimmune diseases, injecting medications, pregnancy and in old age, but it is important to get a detailed history, examine your sexual partner and repeat the tests to make sure that the suspected false positive result is truly false. .

Other tests that may be required, especially if neurological symptoms are present, include computed tomography (CT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and a cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) study. In addition, a complete sexual health examination, including HIV testing, should be performed.

Syphilis – treatment

It should be emphasized that the treatment of syphilis can be effective, especially in the early stages.

The preferred treatment for syphilis at all stages is penicillin, an antibiotic that can kill the organism causing the disease. If you are allergic to penicillin, your doctor may suggest another antibiotic or recommend a desensitization to penicillin. The recommended treatment of primary, secondary or early latent syphilis is a single injection of penicillin. In case the patient has syphilis for more than a year, he may need additional doses. Other antibiotics are less reliable than penicillin, but tetracyclines or cephalosporins can be used in patients who are allergic to penicillin.

Penicillin is the only drug recommended for pregnant women with syphilis. Women who are allergic to penicillin may undergo a desensitization process that may allow them to take penicillin. Even if the expectant mother is treated for syphilis during pregnancy, her newborn baby should be screened for congenital syphilis and, if infected, receive antibiotic therapy.

Treatment failure can occur at any stage of the infection, so close monitoring is important, with repeated serological testing for one to two years.

On the first day of treatment, you may experience the so-called Jarisch-Herxheimer reaction. Signs and symptoms include fever, chills, nausea, headache, and pain. This reaction usually lasts no more than a day.

All sexual activity should be abstained until all ulcerations or lesions of syphilis have fully healed and treatment has been completed.

Also read: A condom is not enough, or how to avoid STDs?

Syphilis – complications

Without treatment, syphilis can damage the entire body. Syphilis also increases the risk of HIV infection and can cause problems during pregnancy. Treatment can help prevent future damage, but it cannot repair or undo damage that has already occurred.

In the late stage of syphilis, nodules (lumps) can develop on the skin, bones, liver, or other organ. These changes usually disappear after treatment with antibiotics.

Syphilis can also cause a number of problems with the nervous system, including:

1. Headache;
2. hit;
3. meningitis;
4. partial hearing loss;
5. vision problems including blindness;
6. dementias;
7. loss of pain and temperature sensations;
8. male sexual dysfunction;
9. urinary incontinence.

Moreover, cardiovascular problems should be added to the complications of untreated syphilis. These can include swelling of the aorta, the body’s main artery, and other blood vessels. Syphilis can also damage heart valves.

It should be added that it is estimated that adults with sexually transmitted syphilis have a 2 to 5 times greater risk of contracting HIV. Ulcers from developing syphilis can bleed easily, providing a simple way for HIV to enter the bloodstream during sexual activity.

You should also be aware that a pregnant woman can pass syphilis to her unborn child. Congenital syphilis greatly increases the risk of miscarriage, stillbirth or the death of a newborn within a few days after birth.

See also: Male “powerlessness” can be a symptom of an illness. Instead of being ashamed, go get yourself tested

Syfilis – profilaktyka

Unfortunately, there is no vaccine for syphilis. The following guidelines should be followed to prevent the spread of the disease.

1. Be sexually restrained or only have one sexual partner. The only sure way to avoid catching syphilis is to avoid sex. The next best option is to have monogamous sex, where both partners only have sex with each other and neither partner is infected.
2. Use a condom. Condoms can reduce your risk of developing syphilis, but only if the condom covers the wounds associated with syphilis. What’s also important, it should not be forgotten that infection can also occur during a kiss, when the ulceration covers the mouth or throat. Infection cannot be stopped by washing the genitals or urinating after intercourse.
3. Avoid stimulants. The abuse of alcohol or other drugs or drugs can impede judgment and lead to unsafe sexual practices.

Keep in mind that if research shows that we have syphilis, our sexual partners, those present and any other partners we have had in the last three months to a year, must be informed in order to be tested. If they are infected, they can heal themselves.

For primary syphilis, all pregnant women should undergo syphilis testing.

Also check: Are intimate hygiene products good for health? Gynecologist: many women cannot imagine washing with water alone