Stages of Syphilis

Syphilis is an infection that spreads through vaginal, anal and oral sex. A bacterium commonly known as Treponema pallidum is responsible for causing this sexually transmitted infection. Syphilis is highly contagious and can affect both women and men. Individuals are likely to get this disease from a sexual partner infected with syphilis.

Stages of Syphilis:
Symptoms of syphilis occur in stages. There are 4 stages of syphilis each characterized with different manifestations. Symptoms and severity of infection vary depending on the stage. Syphilis can be treated easily in its early stages. The initial stage is marked by an ulcer, often called the chancre. In the last stage of syphilis, the bacteria damages the internal organs that may include the heart, liver and bones.

Primary Syphilis:
In this stage a single sore (ulcer) appears on the genital area, anus or even the mouth. The primary lesion with syphilis is seen on the scrotum or penis of men while it occurs on cervix, vulva or perineum in women. However, the ulcer usually does not cause any pain. The sore is visible to the naked eye within 3 to 4 weeks after being infected. When treated at this stage, the person recovers within 4 weeks.

Secondary Syphilis:
During this stage, the infection starts spreading on the entire body. A red skin rash on the palms or feet means that the infection has progressed to the second stage. The rash may also be seen on the entire body. During this stage, the person may also experience enlarged lymph nodes, fatigue, headache and hair loss. Multiple lesions may form in the throat and mouth. Organs such as liver and muscles are affected by the bacterium. During this stage, the disease is considered to be highly infectious. The person is sure to land up in the third stage if proper timely treatment is not taken.

Latent Syphilis:
This stage starts when the symptoms of secondary stage syphilis disappear. Latent syphilis occurs in 2 phases (early and late). Although the person may not show syphilis symptoms in the early stage the infection still persists in the body. In this stage the disease is contagious and hence one should abstain from sex. In the late latent syphilis, the bacteria is non-infectious and is not transmitted through a sexual intercourse.

Tertiary Syphilis:
This is the final and the most dangerous stage that may take decades to occur after infection. In latent syphilis, multiple complications develop. During this stage, the bacteria multiply and damage various organs of the body including the eyes, heart, brain, joints, bones and nervous system. The bacteria are capable of forming tumors in the body. As a result, cancerous growth may be observed in the bone, skin and other tissues. Cardiovascular symptoms like aortic aneurysm may develop. In extreme cases, the person may lose weight. Damage caused in tertiary syphilis is irreversible, hence it is recommended that you seek medical treatment in the third stage of syphilis.

Syphilis - Treatment and Prevention:
Syphilis can be easily cured if it is treated in the early stages. Doctors administer an intramuscular injection of penicillin to cure patients who are in the primary and secondary stages of syphilis. If the duration of the disease is more than 1 year, then additional doses will be required for complete recovery. People who are allergic to penicillin can take other antibiotics that are equally effective in killing the syphilis bacterium. Unfortunately, home remedies for syphilis are not available. Penicillin, given during the last (tertiary) stage cannot reverse the damage, however the disease can be controlled to a certain extent.

Stages of syphilis are a way to determine the severity of the disease. Accurate blood tests can notify whether the person has syphilis. In order to prevent syphilis, one should abstain from unprotected sex. Talk freely with your sexual partner and have honest communication about your suspicious sores, if any. Even if there are no visible sores, syphilis transmission can still occur. So a regular checkup is essential to prevent this sexually transmitted disease.