Syphilis – a Sexually Transmitted Disease
Syphilis – a Sexually Transmitted Disease
Syphilis is a sexually transmitted disease cause by bacteria. The symptoms are very similar to other diseases like genital warts, pubic lice and other sexually transmitted diseases. Syphilis is a kind of common disease. In 2006 over 36,000 cases of syphilis were reports. The cases were reported in over 20 countries and 2 cities. Syphilis is most common people aged 20-39 years old. It is highest in women 20 to 25 years of age and men 35-39 years of age.
Syphilis is most likely to be contracted through sexual contact. When a person who has syphilis comes into contact with someone who does not have syphilis it is transferred. Men are more common to contract syphilis then women.
The symptoms are characterized in three stages. The first stage includes small painless sores that occur in a cycle of about 6-10 days. The sores can be healed without medical treatment. They may advance to the second stage if not treated. The second stage involves rashes and skin irritation. The rashes usually do not itch, but small reddish brown bumps appear on various parts of the body. The rashes can be cured with or without medical treatment. If no medical treatment is received, it may prolong the rash, and cause it to progress to the final stage. The final stage may not be known until 10-20 years after the infection occurred. The symptoms can be hidden and unknown until it is too late to cure. The symptoms include, difficulty coordinating muscle movements, paralysis, numbness, gradual blindness, and dementia. The symptoms can be serious enough to cause death.
Syphilis can affect the baby of a pregnant woman who has the disease. If the pregnant mother is infected she has a high risk of a still birth, or the baby shortly dies after birth. The baby may also live from the birth. They may however have syphilis. If it is not treated shortly after birth, then the baby might develop serious problems. These include seizures, mental disabilities and growing complications.
Syphilis can be diagnosed by taking a sample of one of the sores and examining it under a special microscope called a dark- field microscope. If syphilis bacteria are present, they will show up under the microscope. A blood test is another way to determine if you have syphilis. When syphilis is contracted, the body makes antibodies to fight the disease off. These will show up in a blood test.
Syphilis can be treated. If caught early is can be treated easily, a single penicillin injection, or antibiotic will kill the disease if they have had it for less than a year. Additional doses are needed if the infection has been longer than a year. The treatment will kill the current syphilis and prevent them from returning, but it will not repair the damaged already caused by the sores, or any other symptoms of syphilis.
After syphilis is treated a reaction may occur. This reaction is known as the Jarisch-Herxheimer reaction. This reaction may last from 2-12 hours after treatment starts. It is a result of the dying bacteria. The symptoms are flu like and the same as the early stages of syphilis. The reaction will usually go away in 24 hours. The best way to treat it is bed rest, pain relievers, and to drink liquids.
After the treatment and reaction are complete you should not have sexual activity until the disease is confirmed to be gone. This may take from 2-3 months. People who have had syphilis should have blood tests every 3,6 and 12 months to confirm that the disease is gone. Women who become pregnant and formerly had syphilis should have monthly blood test to make sure the disease has not come back.
Syphilis is a sexually transmitted disease cause by bacteria. The symptoms are very similar to other diseases like genital warts, pubic lice and other sexually transmitted diseases. Syphilis is a kind of common disease. In 2006 over 36,000 cases of syphilis were reports. The cases were reported in over 20 countries and 2 cities. Syphilis is most common people aged 20-39 years old. It is highest in women 20 to 25 years of age and men 35-39 years of age.
Syphilis is most likely to be contracted through sexual contact. When a person who has syphilis comes into contact with someone who does not have syphilis it is transferred. Men are more common to contract syphilis then women.
The symptoms are characterized