Syphilis is a bacterial disease that can be transmitted from one person to another either through sexual intercourse or via skin or mucus contact.
It is always associated with a painless sore at the genitals, rectum or mouth and one can stay with the disease in his or her body for decades without necessarily realizing try are suffering from it. However, it can be cured by a single shot of injection of penicillin.
Stages of syphilis
This disease is occurring in stages as shown below,
1. Primary syphilis
This is where first sign appears as a small sore called chancre especially at the spot where the bacteria enters the body. It can be a single chancre in some people or several chancres in others.
This sore may not be realized or noticed since it is painless and hidden either in rectum or vagina. The sore will heal in three to six weeks after appearing.
2. Secondary syphilis
This comes some weeks after the primary stage sore has healed. It will appear as a rash especially at the trunk and can cover the whole body. Again, one may not take it serious as it is not itchy.
Other signs might be hair loss, muscle aches, fever, sore throat and swollen lymph nodes.
3. Tertiary syphilis
If the first two stages are not treated, one may develop the tertiary syphilis where the disease can interfere with the brain, nerves system, eyes, heart, blood vessels, liver, bones and joints.
4. Neurosyphilis
The untreated syphilis will become too much that it will spread and damage one’s brain, neurone system and even eyes.
5. Congenital syphilis
This is stage or type of syphilis that one gets through birth. A mother suffering from syphilis can pass it to the baby through placenta.
How syphilis spread
One can get syphilis if;
– they have unprotected sex
– they have multiple sex partners
– they engege in sex with fellow men
– they have HIV and AIDS.
Common symptoms of Syphilis.
- Headache
- Stroke
- Meningitis
- Hearing loss
- Blindness
- Dimentia
- Sexual dysfunction in men
- Bladder incontinence
