What Is Syphilis? See Symptoms, Types and Transmission of Sexual Diseases

Suara.com – Cases of syphilis in Indonesia have reportedly increased over a period of 6 years, from 2016 to 2022. So what is syphilis and what are the symptoms? Let’s see the information below.

Summarizing mayoclinic.org, syphilis is a bacterial infection that is spread through sexual contact. The disease begins as a painless sore – usually on the genitals, rectum or mouth.

Syphilis is spread from person to person by skin or mucous membrane contact with these sores. Early syphilis can be cured with a single injection of penicillin.

Syphilis bacteria can lie dormant in the body for decades before becoming active again. Without treatment, syphilis can damage the heart, brain or other organs. Syphilis can also be passed from mother to unborn child.

Read Also: The number of cases is increasing. What are the symptoms and prevention of syphilis?

What Is Syphilis

Syphilis develops gradually with varying symptoms. The stages sometimes overlap and the symptoms don’t always occur in the same order.

People may be infected with syphilis without noticing any symptoms for years. The following are the types of syphilis based on the stages.

1. Syfilis Primer

The first sign of syphilis is a small sore, called a chancre, where the bacteria enter the body. These sores will heal on their own within three to six weeks.

Read Also: Know What Syphilis Is, A Sexually Transmitted Disease Often Called The Lion King

Most people have only one chancre at this stage but others can develop more.

The chancre usually develops about three weeks after exposure and many people don’t notice it because it doesn’t hurt or may be hidden in the vagina or rectum.

2. Secondary Syphilis

A few weeks after the chancre heals, the patient will experience a rash. It starts from the torso and eventually covers the whole body – even the palms and soles.

This rash is usually not itchy and is sometimes accompanied by warts in the mouth or genital area. Some experience hair loss, muscle aches, fever, sore throat, and swollen lymph nodes.

These syphilis symptoms can disappear within a few weeks or repeatedly come and go for a year.

3. Siphilis Let

If left untreated, the disease moves from the secondary to the hidden (latent) stage, even when there are no symptoms. The latent stage can last for years. Signs and symptoms may never return, or the disease may progress to the third (tertiary) stage.

4. Tertiary Syphilis

About 15% to 30% of people infected with syphilis who don’t get treatment will develop complications of tertiary syphilis. This problem occurs years after the initial untreated infection.

In its final stages, this disease can damage the brain, nerves, eyes, heart, blood vessels, liver, bones and joints.

5. Neurosifilis

At any stage, syphilis can spread and, among other things, cause damage to the brain and nervous system as well as the eyes.

6. Congenital Syphilis

Babies born to women who have syphilis can be infected through the placenta or during birth. Most newborns with congenital syphilis are asymptomatic, although some develop a rash on the palms and soles.

Later signs and symptoms may include deafness, deformities of the teeth and nose – where the bridge of the nose falls.

Babies born with syphilis can also be born too early, can die in the womb before birth or can die after birth.

That’s an explanation of what syphilis is. Hopefully this article is useful and can help you to prevent the spread of this disease so that it doesn’t become more widespread.

Contributors : Rima Suliastini