259. Telltale Signs of Syphilis
Syphilis is sometimes called “pox” or “bad blood.” It is caused by a certain bacterium. Left untreated, syphilis is one of the most serious sexually transmitted diseases, leading to heart failure, blindness, insanity, or death. Syphilis can progress slowly, through three stages, over a period of many years. When detected early, however, syphilis can be cured. Be alert for the following symptoms.
Primary Stage.
A large, painless ulcer-like sore known as a chancre occurs two to six weeks after infection and generally appears around the area of sexual contact. The chancre disappears within a few weeks.
Secondary Stage.
Within a month after the end of the primary stage, a widespread skin rash may appear, cropping up on the palms of the hands, soles of the feet, and sometimes around the mouth and nose. Swollen lymph nodes, fever, and flu-like symptoms may also occur, and small patches of hair may fall out of the scalp, beard, eyelashes, and eyebrows.
Latent Stage.
Once syphilis reaches this stage, it may go unnoticed for years, quietly damaging the heart, central nervous system, muscles, and various other organs, and tissues. The resulting effects are often fatal.
If you’ve been exposed to syphilis or have its symptoms, see a doctor or consult your county health department for proper treatment. Sexual partners of persons with syphilis in any stage should be evaluated for syphilis. After treatment for syphilis, follow-up blood tests are needed 6 and 12 months (and possibly 3 months) to be sure the disease is completely cured. All persons who have syphilis should be tested for HIV as advised.
Once treatment is complete, you’re no longer contagious. But you can get syphilis again if you have sexual contact with an infected partner.
