Young People's Guide to
Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STDs)
and AIDS/HIV Disease
- Index of images
- Complete list of STDs
- Short STD guide in various languages
- Reproductive anatomy Diagrams
Table of Contents
- Introduction
- Message to parents
- Anatomy of the sex organs
- Physiology of the sex organs
- STDs
- How to check yourself for STDs
- AIDS
- How to prevent getting STDs and AIDS
- How to use a condom
SYPHILIS
Summary
- Caused by a bacteria (germ), sores appear 3 weeks to 3 months after having sex with
an infected person.
- The sores look like holes in the skin that have a raised edge. They are usually painless.
- The sores disappear after a few weeks but the germ remains in the body and the disease
reappears as a rash all over the body.
- This rash disappears too but the germs can attack other parts of the body years later.
- Syphilis can be completely cured at any stage.
- In women the sores may be hidden in the vagina. Syphilis can be passed from a woman
to her unborn child.
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What is syphilis?
Syphilis(pronounced sif'olis) is an infection caused by a bacteria germ, (Treponema pallidum).
There are about fifty thousand reported cases of syphilis each year in the United States. The disease appears in stages.
The first stage causes skin sores at the point where the germs entered the body. The second stage shows a generalized skin rash. Next it becomes without symptoms and is called latent syphilis where the only way it can be diagnosed is by a positive blood test. The third or tertiary stage can occur many years later when the germs attack another part of the body such as the heart or spinal cord. Syphilis can be completely cured in any stage by penicillin.
What are the symptoms of the first stage of syphilis?
The first stage is when a sore called a chancre (pronounced shanker) is present. In first stage syphilis, the chancre appears within ten to ninety days (with an average of three weeks) after direct exposure to the germ. The sore appears at the point of contact. It is a painless, open sore and can appear as just one or many sores . The entire sore is thick and its borders are raised. The sore or sores may be large or very small. The lymph nodes in the groin area are swollen but usually not painful. Chancres may appear anywhere on the body as they enter through small tears in the skin. Besides the genitals, they may also appear in other areas such as the mouth, tongue, eyes, fingers and buttocks. If untreated, the chancre will disappear by itself after two to eight weeks. Although the sores disappear, it does not mean that the syphilis germs have left the body.
What are the symptoms of the second stage of syphilis?
Without the proper treatment, about six weeks after the chancre appears, the second stage starts. During the incubation period and the primary stage, the syphilis germs have been multiplying and spreading throughout the body. The primary chancre may or may not still be present but soon a rash appears all over the entire body. The rash looks like many colored blotches and may even appear on the hands and feet. The rash is not-itchy and painless. It lasts from a few weeks to a year and then it disappears. This rash is contagious that is, you can get syphilis by touching it.In addition to the skin sores, the patient may have other symptoms and signs such as fever, sore throat, headaches, tiredness and joint pains. These are usually mild and don't last very long. Usually there is are swollen glands in the neck, the armpits and the groin area.
Remember that the germs have invaded the blood and that other parts of the body may have been infected. The germs may infect the liver, the kidneys, the joints, the muscles and the brain.
The blood tests are always positive during the second stage and remember that the lesions are full of syphilis germs.
If untreated, even though the rash has disappeared, it does not mean that the germs have left the body. They stay in the body and may reappear many years later in the brain, heart or many other parts of the body. When the syphilis germs attack these other parts of the body, it is called tertiary syphilis (third stage syphilis).
How is syphilis diagnosed?
If a chancre is present, a scraping may be taken of it and examined under a special microscope. The syphilis germs can be directly seen. A blood test is also done and this is what is also done to diagnose syphilis in the later stages. The blood tests (there are many different ones for syphilis) can also be used to follow the infected persons treatment. After treatment the levels of the tests change and it is possible to see if the treatment was adequate.Can syphilis be passed to a unborn baby?
Yes, if a pregnant women were to get syphilis, she may pass it to her unborn child. When the baby is born he or she would have congenital syphilis. A baby born with syphilis may have a variety of abnormalities.