The disease begins with a painless sore, usually on the genitals, and progresses in stages, attacking those who come into direct contact with the ulcers it causes on the skin and mucous membranes.
After the initial infection, the syphilis bacterium can lie dormant in the body for several decades before becoming active. .
Symptoms
Syphilis develops in stages and its symptoms vary at each stage. Sometimes, however, the stages may coincide and the symptoms may not appear in the same order. There is a possibility of infection without the manifestation of any symptoms for many years.
Primary syphilis: The first sign of syphilis is a small sore, also called a hard ulcer, that appears where the bacteria first entered the body. Although many people develop only one sore, some others develop several sores. The sore usually appears three weeks from the time of infection. Many patients do not notice the wound, because most of the time it is painless and hidden inside the vagina or rectum. The wound heals on its own within six weeks.
Secondary syphilis: Within a few weeks of the initial wound healing, a rash may appear first on the trunk and then all over the body, even on the palms of the hands or soles of the feet. This rash is usually not itchy and may be accompanied by hives in the mouth or genital area. Some patients still experience muscle aches, fever, sore throat and swollen lymph nodes. These symptoms may resolve completely within a few weeks and recur several times within a year.
Latent syphilis: If the patient does not follow treatment, then the disease passes from the secondary to the latent phase, where symptoms cease to exist. This stage can last several years. Symptoms may never recur, but the disease may progress to the tertiary stage.
Tertiary syphilis: About 15-30% of untreated syphilis patients develop complications that in the final stages of the disease can damage the brain, nerves, heart, blood vessels, liver, bones and ligaments. These problems can manifest many years after the initial infection. Depending on the localization of the damage, the disease takes the corresponding name, with the most typical ones being cardiovascular syphilis, neurosyphilis and bone syphilis.
Congenital syphilis: Babies born to mothers with syphilis are likely to be infected through the placenta or during delivery. Most newborns with congenital syphilis have no symptoms, although some develop a rash on the palms of their hands or the soles of their feet. If the disease progresses, it can cause deafness, as well as deformities of the teeth and nose.
Reasons
The cause of syphilis is a bacterium called Treponema pallidum. The most common route of transmission of the disease is by contact with a lesion of a patient. The bacterium enters the body through small wounds or cuts in the skin or mucous membranes.
Syphilis is contagious in its primary and secondary stages, and sometimes at the beginning of the latent phase. It cannot be spread by touching or using an infected garment, cutlery, doorknob, toilet, bathtub or swimming pool. In the event of treatment, there is always the possibility of re-infection if the treated patient comes into contact again with a foreign syphilis wound.
Risk factors
The factors that may favor the transmission of syphilis are:
- Sexual intercourse without precautions
- The large number of sexual partners
- Sexual intercourse between men
- Infection with the HIV virus, which causes Aids
Complications
If syphilis is not treated, it can cause serious damage throughout the body. Syphilis also increases the risk of HIV infection, while threatening women with serious problems during pregnancy. Treatment can prevent future damage, but it cannot correct or reverse damage that has already occurred.
Neurological problems: Syphilis can cause a range of problems in the nervous system, including stroke, meningitis, deafness, visual disturbances and dementia.
Cardiovascular problems: Aneurysm and inflammation can occur in the aorta (the largest artery in the body), as well as other blood vessels. Syphilis can also damage the heart valves.
HIV infection: It has been estimated that adults with sexually transmitted syphilis or other genital ulcers are 2 to 5 times more likely to become infected with HIV. A syphilis sore bleeds easily, thus providing an avenue for HIV to enter the bloodstream during intercourse.
Complications in pregnancy and childbirth: If a woman is pregnant, then she can transmit syphilis to her unborn baby. Congenital syphilis dramatically increases the risk of miscarriage, stillbirth and death of the newborn within the first days of life.