Maybe you know her. She’s a sexually transmitted disease and she is very friendly. Syphilis is transmitted through sexual contact (vaginal, anal, or oral) with an infected person. In particular, the syphilis bacterium is transmitted through direct contact with syphilis sores, which mainly occur in the genital area of both men and women. Because the sores are often painless, people may not know they are infected.

Symptoms

• Primary or early symptoms: The first symptom of syphilis infection is usually a small painless sore (chancre) in the area of sexual contact (penis, vagina, anus, rectum, or mouth). The sore usually appears about 2-6 weeks after exposure and disappears within a few weeks.
• Secondary symptoms: Shortly after the sore heals, a rash all over the body (including the palms of the hands and soles of the feet), swollen lymph nodes, fever, or tiredness may be noticed. These symptoms also disappear within a few weeks. Even though the initial symptoms of syphilis clear up on their own, the syphilis bacterium will remain in the body if not treated.
• Latent symptoms: During the latent stage of syphilis, there are no symptoms, but the bacterium is still in the body..

Advice

• Use latex or polyurethane condoms during sex
• Limit the number of your sex partners

Can infection with syphilis lead to other health problems?

Syphilis is a very serious infection for both men and women. It spreads through the whole body. Without proper antibiotic treatment, the disease can cause heart disease, dementia, blindness, paralysis, and death. Infection with syphilis increases the risk for transmitting or acquiring HIV infection.

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