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 Disease: Syphilis

Overview:

“Syphilis remains a serious STD even in the United States. In 2004, syphilis ranked fifth in terms of the notifiable cases of infectious disease, with more than 33,401 reported cases. in 2005, the cCenters for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported 33,278 new cases, including 792 in Arizona.” - Dr. Pommerville

Syphilis is a sexually transmitted disease (STD) that can be contagious caused by the microorganism Treponema pallidum.

Transmission: Sexual contact or from mother to child.

Types and Symptoms: There are typically 5 types of syphilis listed below.

1. Primary syphilis: Primary syphilis is transmitted through sexual contact. The symptom of this stage is lesion (chancre - a firm, painless skin ulceration) on the skin usually on the genital area. It will heal spontaneously after 4 to 6 weeks. Other than swelling in the lymph nodes, there are no other symptoms. This is why patients usually don’t seek medical attention for primary syphilis.
2. Secondary syphilis: This occurs 1 - 6 months after primary infection and is much easier to transmit so it is more contagious. Reddish-pink, non-itchy rash will appear on the trunk and lower extremities while flat broad whitish lesion can appear on area with moisture. Symptoms include fever, sore throat, malaise, weight loss, headache, meningismus, and enlarged lymph nodes.
3. Latent syphilis: There is a proof of infection but no symptoms of disease. Latent syphilis divided into two stages, early and late. Early stage is before 2 years and later stage is after 2 years. Typically the earlier stage is the most contagious stage for latent syphilis.
   
4. Tertiary syphilis:This stage occured 1-10 years after the initial stage. Gummas, soft, tumor like balls of inflammation begins to form, and it could appear anywhere on the body even in the blood vessels or the skeleton. This stage can affect personality and emotion along with disease such as heart failures and disorder of the spinal cord.
   
5. Neurosyphilis: This can occur at any stage of syphilis and it is where the microbe affects the central nervous system (CNS). It is most common in people with HIV disease and causes atrophies to the brain. People with neurosyphilis tends to be in dementia most of the time and experience personality changes, memory loss, mania and depression.

Preventions: Abstinence and avoid infections through open wounds and mucosa.

Treatments: Penicillin

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