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SEXUAL HEALTH INDEX
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Syphilis
Syhilis is a bacterial infection that is transmitted by genital or skin contact with an infected person and by mother to fetus.
A blood test will confirm the diagnosis.
Symptoms take 2-6 weeks to show.
The first two phases are highly contagious and it is essential to use barrier contraceptive methods, and to avoid making any contact with broken skin, sore or rashes.
Phase 1: Symptoms in men:
- Painless visible sore/ulcer [chancre] on the penis/anus
- Left untreated disappears after 3-7 weeks
- Sore/ulcer on/near the vagina/anus.
Phase 2: [if phase 1 was untreated] after 4-10 weeks a non itchy rash, flat warty growths appear around the anus/genitals, flu like symptoms, swollen glands, white patches on the tongue, patchy hair loss.
These symptoms usually clear within a few months if untreated, and go into a latent phase with no symptoms.
Phase 3:Tertiary syhilis manifests years later. This can seriously affect the heart, nervous system, and internal organs. It is also a major cause of stillbirth and infant mortality
Treatment
Course of antibiotics lasting +- 2 weeks
The symptoms of tertiary cannot be reversed by treatment.
