Syphilis, a sexually transmitted disease

Syphilis is one of Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs). Caused by the bacterium Treponema pallidum or Treponema pallidum, this pathology has seen its number of cases decreased significantly with the emergence of antibiotic drugs. Nevertheless, syphilis is subject to a medical care because it can be dangerous to the health when not treated.

Syphilis: What is it?Commonly called "pox", syphilis is a very old sexual transmitted disease. Many famous people in history have also been affected by this infection: Baudelaire, Nietzsche and François 1er.Transmitted sexually, Treponema pallidum insidiously proliferates in the body, so its detection is difficult at an early development stage. After decades of sharp decline, syphilis has re-emerged in France in the 2000s because, a relaxation of vigilance against STDs.The disease is characterized by an incubation period of 10 to 90 days and involves three distinct stages as well as a latency period.Syphilis: the primary stageIf symptoms of primary stage can occur between 3 and 90 days after the bacterial infection, they usually occur during the 3rd week by the appearance of a red button, usually on the genitals, which turns into a painless ulcer. There is talk of opening canker. Generally, a single ulcer was observed but some patients may have several. The lesion is naturally absorbed in one or two months.Syphilis: The secondary stageWhen left untreated, sexually transmitted disease inevitably progresses to another stage that occurs between 2-10 weeks after the onset of or cankers. Clinical signs are also changing. It can be observed:

    hair loss,
    fatigue,
    headache,
    muscle pain,
    fever
    swollen glands,
    rashes on the skin and mucous membranes,
    inflammation of the retina or of the uvea.If they can disappear spontaneously, these symptoms may also reappear periodically.Syphilis: the latency periodIf it is not supported, syphilis moves into a phase in which no clinical manifestation occurs. This period occurs about two years after infection and can last between 1 and 30 years.Syphilis: the tertiary stageWithout treatment, syphilis enters a final stage which can be life-threatening infected patient. The symptoms are so severe: inflammation of the aorta, aneurysm, meningitis, dementia, personality disorder, tissue destruction, deafness, dizziness, aortic stenosis ...What treatment?The main treatment of this sexually transmitted infection is penicillin. This antibiotic is usually administered intramuscularly. When the patient is infected for up to one year, a single dose of antibiotic eradicates the bacteria (blood tests will then be required for the check). In persons infected for longer or in immunocompromised patients, antibiotics for longer duration may be considered.Syphilis: how to prevent it?The prevention of syphilis primarily through the use of condoms during oral sex, anal or vaginal at risk. You should also remember that being hit by syphilis does not provide definitive immunity. It is therefore possible to be infected several times with the bacteria.Effective protection is the only way to avoid contracting the disease. If in doubt, adoption of a risk behavior or symptoms, it is recommended that screening for syphilis by a blood test.