Syphilis is transmitted through unprotected sex, but can also be transmitted through the blood and placenta to the foetus from the mother. Syphilis is transmitted through unprotected sex for up to two years after infection. Syphilis is more common among men than women.
- Syphilis is more common among men than women.
- Syphilis is detected with a blood test and it can be treated with penicillin injections.
- Untreated syphilis becomes latent, in which case the patient is asymptomatic.
- Some untreated patients develop symptoms of tertiary syphilis even years after infection.
About 3–4 weeks after a syphilis infection, a painless ulcer will appear at the site of infection, usually in the penis, labia, vagina, anus, rectum or oral mucosa and it will heal spontaneously within a few weeks. It is possible that the ulcer will go unnoticed by the infected person. In most cases, no other symptoms occur at this stage.
About 6–8 weeks after infection, the infection is commonly manifested as a small spotted rash (roseola). Syphilids with a diameter of a few millimetres may appear on the palms of the hands and soles of the feet. On mucous membranes, they can resemble giant condylomas. The rash lasts from a few weeks to a few months, during which the risk of transmitting the infection to another person is the greatest.
Other symptoms of syphilis at this stage include:
- increased body temperature and fever
- nausea
- enlarged lymph nodes
- hair loss
Untreated syphilis becomes latent, in which case the patient is asymptomatic. Some untreated patients may develop late-onset symptoms even years after infection, i.e. skin symptoms and damage to the circulatory system and mucous membranes. If untreated for a long time, syphilis can also cause neurological symptoms and lesions in the central nervous system.
Syphilis is detected with a blood test.
Syphilis can be treated with penicillin injections. Penicillin is administered for a few weeks, during which the spread of syphilis stops and the bacteria disappears from the body.
The expert for this article was Veli-Jukka Anttila, a specialist in infectious diseases and internal medicine.
About 3–4 weeks after a syphilis infection, a painless ulcer will appear at the site of infection, usually in the penis, labia, vagina, anus, rectum or oral mucosa. The would will heal spontaneously within a few weeks and it is possible that the ulcer will go unnoticed by the infected person. About 6–8 weeks after infection, the infection is commonly manifested as a rash that will last from a few weeks to a few months. Other potential symptoms include increased body temperature and fever, nausea, enlarged lymph nodes and hair loss. If left untreated, syphilis can cause late-onset symptoms years after infection.
The first stage of syphilis can go unnoticed if a painless ulcer appears in an area where it is difficult to see. Untreated syphilis becomes latent, in which case the patient is asymptomatic.
Some untreated patients may develop late-onset symptoms even years after infection, i.e. skin symptoms and damage to the circulatory system and mucous membranes. If untreated for a long time, syphilis can also cause neurological symptoms.
If you think you may have a gonorrhoea infection, it is advisable to study the possibility of infection with a laboratory test. Syphilis is detected with a blood test.
Syphilis can be treated with penicillin injections. Penicillin is administered for a few weeks, during which the spread of syphilis stops and the disease disappears from the body.
If you think you may have a syphilis infection, it is advisable to study the possibility of infection with a laboratory test. Syphilis is detected with a blood test.
If you think you might have syphilis or another sexually transmitted disease, it is advisable to book an appointment with a dermatologist to determine whether there is an infection.
You can book an appointment with a dermatologist through our online appointment booking service or by calling +358 (0)10 414 00.
