Symptoms of Syphilis

Syphilis is an STI (Sexually Transmitted Infection) which is caused by 'Treponema Pallidum' a spirochetal bacterium. As an STI, the most common way the disease is spread is through sexual contact though in some cases it can be transmitted from a mother to a child during pregnancy or at birth. The symptoms of syphilis are highly varied and it has been called 'the great imitator' due to the way in which it can mimic many of the symptoms of other diseases – particularly during the tertiary stage. The symptoms may also vary depending on the stage of syphilis.

Primary Syphilis

Primary syphilis is that acquired via direct sexual contact with the legions found on another syphilis sufferer. After around 10-19 days of this contact, skin lesions will begin to appear at the point where the contact was made – most often this will be on the genitals but it can also be on the hands commonly, or anywhere else on the body. The lesions are called 'chancre' and are relatively large round ulcerations that are painless but highly angry looking. In some cases there will be multiple visible lesions. Generally these will last for four to six months and will heal on their own. Other symptoms might include swelling of the lymph nodes. This is part of the incubation period during which no other symptoms are often present and this leads many of those infected not to seek medical help, however it is important that if you suspect you have the signs of primary syphilis that you do get it checked.

Secondary Syphilis

Secondary syphilis then occurs around 1-6 months after the primary symptoms. There are many ways in which the disease can manifest itself at this stage though often there will be a symmetrical rash that covers the back and/or the hands and soles of the feet. The rash will then become flatter and more wart-like over time and this may also occur on the genitalia or in the mouth. Other symptoms which can complicate diagnosis include fever, sore throat, weight loss, lethargy, headache, again the swelling of the lymph nodes, arthritis, optic neuritis, periositis and proctitis.

Latent Syphilis

Latet syphilis is syphilis with no signs or symptoms. Latent syphilis can fall into two different further categories 'early' or 'late'. Early latent syphilis is that where the patient has syphilis for two years or less with no symptoms, while late syphilis goes on for longer. This distinction is important as it affects other aspects of the syphilis such as the risk of transmission and the therapy used to treat it. Early syphilis can be treated with a single injection of penicillin, whereas late latent syphilis requires three weekly injections. Late latent syphilis is not as infectious as early. Fifty percent of those with latent syphilis will develop into the tertiary stage of syphilis, with another 25% recovering and 25% remaining in the latent stage indefinitely. As latent syphilis has no symptoms it is difficult to spot, and it is therefore up to the patient to get precautionary checks if they suspect that a sexual partner was infected.

Tertiary Syphilis

Tertiary syphilis generally occurs around 1-10 years after the initial infection though this can vary and may take up to 50 years. Here the main symptom is the formation of 'granulomas' which are soft tumours that form around the body. These are chronic ie permanent and can appear anywhere on the body including on bone. If they appear on the head or face then this can result in quite noticeable deformity. This then creates an inflammatory effect on the body and this can have wide ranging effects.

Other symptoms of tertiary syphilis include joint disease which causes loss of sensation in the joints as well as pain as well as 'neurosyphilis' and 'cardiovascular syphilis'. Neurosyphilis is syphilis that involves infection of the central nervous system and it results in many symptoms including 'generalised paresis of the insane' which causes personality changes in emotion, hyperactivity, shrinking pupils and complications of the spinal cord resulting in shuffling and an awkward gait.

Cardiovascular syphilis meanwhile includes a range of characteristics such as aortic anneurysm, syphilitic aortitis and aortic regurgitation which can be heard as a heart murmur.

article taken from Health Guidance