Syphilis can invade the nervous system at any stage of infection, and causes a wide range of symptoms, including headache, altered behavior, difficulty coordinating muscle movements, paralysis, sensory deficits, and dementia.3 This invasion of the nervous system is called “neurosyphilis. Like neurosyphilis, ocular syphilis can occur at any stage of infection. Ocular syphilis can involve almost [...]
Tertiary syphilis is rare and develops in a subset of untreated syphilis infections;, it can appear 10–30 years after infection was first acquired, and it can be fatal. Tertiary syphilis can affect multiple organ systems, including the brain, nerves, eyes, heart, blood vessels, liver, bones, and joints. Symptoms of tertiary syphilis vary depending on the [...]
The latent (hidden) stage of syphilis is a period of time when there are no visible signs or symptoms of syphilis. Without treatment, the infected person will continue to have syphilis in their body even though there are no signs or symptoms. Early latent syphilis is latent syphilis where infection occurred within the past 12 months. Late latent [...]
Skin rashes and/or mucous membrane lesions (sores in the mouth, vagina, or anus) mark the second stage of symptoms. This stage typically starts with the development of a rash on one or more areas of the body. Rashes associated with secondary syphilis can appear when the primary chancre is healing or several weeks after the [...]
The appearance of a single chancre marks the primary (first) stage of syphilis symptoms, but there may be multiple sores. The chancre is usually (but not always) firm, round, and painless. It appears at the location where syphilis entered the body. These painless chancres can occur in locations that make them difficult to notice (e.g., [...]
For detailed treatment recommendations, please refer to the 2015 CDC STD Treatment Guidelines. The recommended treatment for adults and adolescents with primary, secondary, or early latent syphilis is Benzathine penicillin G 2.4 million units administered intramuscularly in a single dose. The recommended treatment for adults and adolescents with late latent syphilis or latent syphilis of unknown [...]
Correct and consistent use of latex condoms can reduce the risk of syphilis when the infected area or site of potential exposure is protected. However, a syphilis sore outside of the area covered by a latex condom can still allow transmission, so caution should be exercised even when using a condom. The surest way to [...]
Any person with signs or symptoms suggestive of syphilis should be tested for syphilis. Also, anyone with an oral, anal, or vaginal sex partner who has been recently diagnosed with syphilis should be tested for syphilis. Some people should be tested (screened) for syphilis even if they do not have symptoms or know of a [...]
After appropriate treatment, syphilis does not recur. However, having syphilis once does not protect a person from becoming infected again. Even following successful treatment, people can be reinfected. Patients with signs or symptoms that persist or recur or who have a sustained fourfold increase in nontreponemal test titer probably failed treatment or were reinfected. These [...]
In the United States, approximately half of men who have sex with men (MSM) with primary and secondary (P&S) syphilis were also living with HIV.2 In addition, MSM who are HIV-negative and diagnosed with P&S syphilis are more likely to be infected with HIV in the future. 6 Genital sores caused by syphilis make it easier to transmit [...]
