Syphilis, syphilis symptoms, syphilis treatment

Syphilis is a chronic infectious disease caused by a bacterium (Treponema pallidum) and primarily or vertically (i.e. from mother to fetus). Untreated syphilis is characterized by a lengthy course with periodic remission and exacerbation accompanied by formation of specific focal inflammations in all organs and tissues. Syphilis treatment.

What are the effects of syphilis?

During the primary (hard chancre) stage syphilis in men may be complicated by balanitis, balanoposthitis, inflammatory phimosis, paraphimosis, gangrenization and phagedenas.

The secondary stage may bring such manifestations as syphilitic balding (during the 3d – 5^th month of the disease), lesions of bones, joints and periosteum.

During the tertiary (late) syphilis irreversible destructive lesions occur (lesions of hard and soft palate, palatine arches, tongue, pharynx with formation of punctures, bone and periosteal inflammations, osteomielitis, hydroarthrosis and osteoarthrosis, lesions of nervous system, heart and other organs).

Stages of syphilis?

A distinction is made between the following syphilis stages:

• Incubation period lasts from the moment of infection till appearnce of a hard chancre. Length of the period is 3-4 weeks (may vary from 10 to 80 days). The latent period may be longer during admission of antibiotics.
• Primary syphilis is characterized by appearance of a hard chancre or primary syphiloma at the location of Treponema pallidum entrance.
• The secondary stage starts 9-10 weeks after exposure and lasts from 3 to 5 years. It is characterized by changes in skin, mucous membranes, internal organs and the central nervous system.
• Up to 50% of individuals with untreated syphilis may develop tertiary syphilis with lesions many years after the initial infection. The lesions in the tertiary stage may involve the skin, mucous membranes, bones, joints, and irreversibly affected internal organs.

Syphilis symptoms

Primary stage

The main symptom of the first stage is a hard chancre ["shan-ker"]. The hard chancre appears in the entrance location of Treponema pallidum and is a hard, red, painless lump with an ulcer on top. As a rule no inflammation signs can be observed around the chancre. The central part of the hard chancre may look covered with a dense grey-yellowish tarnish. The chancre diameter is 10-20mm. The chancre usually appears on the genitals: glans penis, inner and outer lobes of the foreskin, seldom on the skin of the scrotum and pubis, on the major and minor lips. The chancre can also develop on the tongue, lips, nipples or throat (tonils).

Secondary stage

The main symptoms of the secondary syphilis are repetitive rash on the skin and mucous memebranes (stains, papules, vesicles, pustules), patchy loss of hair.

Tertiary stage

The tertiary stage is characterized by appearance of infectious granulomas – cell clusters in various tissues. A skin granuloma is reffered to as gumma. Such formations disintegrate causing irreversible lesions. For example disintegration of a gumma located in the soft or hard palate results in perforation of the tissues.

Congenital syphilis

In case of congenital syphilis Treponema pallidum enters the fetus penetrating through the placenta. Fetal syphilis leads to death of the fetus by the 5-6^th month of pregnancy (never before the 5^th month). The dead fetus is born on the 3-4^th day only and is macerated in the amniotic fluid before that. In case of an early congenital syphilis skin, bone, tooth, and cartilage lesions are observed.

Selftreatment is dangerous, as recovery can be determined by laboratory tests only. Syphilis treatment