Syphilis Test - Syphilis Information

Syphilis is a highly contagious disease spread primarily by sexual activity, including oral and anal sex. The disease can be passed to another person through prolonged kissing or close bodily contact with an infected person. The infected person is often unaware of the disease and unknowingly passes it on to their sexual partner.

 

What causes Syphilis?

Syphilis is caused by the bacteria Treponema pallidum.

 

Symptoms of Syphilis

Syphilis infections occurs in 3 distinct stages.

 

Early or primary syphilis: People with primary syphilis will develop one or more chancre sores. The sores resemble large round bug bites and are often hard and painless. They occur on the genitals or in or around the mouth somewhere between 10-90 days (average 3 weeks) after exposure. Even without treatment they heal without a scar within 6 weeks.

 

The secondary stage: may last 1-3 months and begins within 6 weeks to 6 months after exposure. People with secondary syphilis experience a rosy "copper penny" rash typically on the palms of the hands and soles of the feet. They may also experience moist warts in the groin, white patches on the inside of the mouth, swollen lymph glands, fever, and weight loss. Like primary syphilis, secondary syphilis will resolve without treatment.

 

Latent syphilis: This is where the infection lies dormant (inactive) without causing symptoms.

 

Tertiary syphilis: If the infection isn't treated, it may then progress to a stage characterized by severe problems with the heart, brain, and nerves that can result in paralysis, blindness, dementia, deafness, impotence and even death if it's not treated.

 

What happens if I don't get tested?

If syphilis is left untreated, it can cause serious and permanent problems such as dementia, blindness or death.