Syphilis

The Great Pretender

Anastasia Chiarini
P.3
Mr. Martinez
How is it Transmitted or
Contracted
 Syphilis is transmitted from person to person through direct contact with a
chancre or syphilis sore. It is usually spread by sexual activity, including oral
and anal sex. In some rare cases, the disease has been transmitted from one
person to another person through close bodily contact or a lengthened
amount of kissing. In addition pregnant women can pass on the disease to
their children. 
 Although this disease is spread by contact with sores, the majority of those
sores go unnoticed. The infected person is generally oblivious of the disease
and mistakenly passes it on to his or her sexual partner.
Symptoms

 Syphilis has been nicknamed “The Great Pretender”, because it mimics the symptoms
of various other diseases.
 Syphilis includes 4 stages that can last for weeks, months, or even years:
Primary Stage
 The appearance of a single chancre signifies the first stage of syphilis symptoms, but
there may be multiple sores. The syphilis sore or chancre is usually (but not always)
firm, round, and painless. It appears at the location where syphilis entered the body.
These painless chancres can occur in a multitude of locations that make them difficult
to detect(e.g., the vagina or anus). The chancre lasts about 3 to 6 weeks and heals
whether a person gets treatment or not. Although, if the infected person does not
receive proper treatment, the infection advances to the secondary stage.
Symptoms

Secondary stage
The symptoms for secondary syphilis develop two to eight weeks after the
primary chancre. Stage two is usually marked by a non itchy rash. The rash might
be limited to one part of your body, or it could spread to different parts. The
appearance of the rash can vary. One common symptom is rough, reddish brown
spots on the soles of your feet and the palms of your hands. Sometime the rash
looks like it was caused by another disease making the diagnosis more difficult.
Other symptoms include: fever, sore throat, headaches fatigue, joint pain,
swollen lymph glands ,etc.
Symptoms

 Latent Stage
 When left untreated secondary syphilis can shift into a latent period where there
are no noticeable symptoms. This stage can last for year and symptoms of previous
stages may never appear again.
 Tertiary Stage
 15 to 30 percent of people infected with syphilis that was left untreated will
develop problems decades later known as tertiary or late syphilis. Tertiry stge can
be broken into three separate classifications based on what body part is infected:
 Benign gummatous syphilis
 Cardiovascular syphilis
 Neurosyphilis
Symptoms

Late Syphillis
 Benign gummatous syphilis
 Cardiovascular syphilis
 Neurosyphilis
What is the STD or Virus
Syphilis is a sexually transmitted disease caused by the
bacterium Treponema pallidum.
How Can You Prevent Catching
the STD or Virus
• Having only one sexual partner (and making sure that that person is has
only one partner too)
• Using condoms during sexual activity (but if the sore isn’t covered by the
condom it can’t protect you.)
• Avoiding alcohol and recreational drugs (which can cause to make a poor
choice leading to unsafe sexual practices)
• Pregnant women may want to be tested for syphilis so that it isn’t passed
on to their newborn.
Treatments

 Treatment
 Another research priority is to develop a safe, effective, single-dose oral
antibiotic for syphilis. In 2010, a clinical trial found that antibiotic pills
(azithromycin) are as effective as penicillin injections for curing early-stage
syphilis. Azithromycin may give healthcare providers a good alternative for
treating HIV-negative people with early-stage syphilis. This is especially
important in settings where resources are limited because penicillin injections
can cause allergic reactions and the drug must be refrigerated and given by
trained personnel.
Bibliography

 https://www.niaid.nih.gov/diseases-conditions/syphilis
 https://www.cdc.gov/std/syphilis/stdfact-syphilis-detailed.htm
 https://www.everydayhealth.com/syphilis/guide/
 https://
www.merckmanuals.com/professional/infectious-diseases/sexually-transmitt
ed-diseases-stds/syphilis