Syphilis is a curable disease infection caused by a bacterium called Treponema pallidum. The worm bacterium that causes syphilis, likes to burrow into the moist mucous membranes of human being’s mouth or genital areas. This infection is sexually transmitted, and can also be passed on from a mother to her fetus during pregnancy.
Although less common, syphilis cm also be spread though needle sharing and by an infected person coming onto contact with any type of open sore or cut on another person.
Many people infected with syphilis do not have any symptoms for years, yet remain at risk for late complications of they are not treated.
In primary syphilis a single sores or chancre appears at the site of inoculation approximately 2-6 weeks after infection.
The chancre is usually firm, round and small. It is an ulcer with an indurated border. The chancre lasts 3 to 6 weeks. However, if adequate treatment is not administered, the infection progresses to the secondary stage.
For secondary syphilis 2 – 10 weeks after the chancre heal, a nonpuritic maculopapular rash occurs.
If the syphilis left untreated it is capable of causing serious brain and arterial damage. It may lead to death in 5 to 10 percent of untreated patients or to permanent disability.
What is syphilis
