Syphilis: How It Spreads, Symptoms, Treatment, and Prevention

Syphilis is a sexually transmitted infection (STI) that can get overlooked easily. It comes with some serious long-term effects if left untreated. But don’t worry- syphilis is totally treatable, and prevention is simple to follow. But what is syphilis exactly, and how does it affect our health? In this blog, we’ll find out all about syphilis, how it spreads, its symptoms, how it’s diagnosed, and the available treatments.  

What Is Syphilis?

Syphilis is a sexually transmitted infection (STI) caused by a bacterium called Treponema pallidum. It spreads when one comes into direct contact with another’s syphilis sores during vaginal, anal, or oral sex. It has different stages, each stage comes with some distinct symptoms, which will be hard to find out if you don’t know what to look for.

Stages of Syphilis

While syphilis doesn’t have types like other STIs, it does progress through some stages. Each stage has its own symptoms and characteristics:

1. Primary Syphilis: The first sign of this stage is a small, painless sore (called a chancre) through which the bacteria enters the body. These sores are seen around the genital area, anus, or mouth. They heal on their own in 3–6 weeks, but that doesn’t mean the infection is gone. The bacteria can still spread to others.
2. Secondary Syphilis: A few weeks after the sore heals, you may find some rash on the palms of your hands or the soles of your feet. This stage brings fever, swollen lymph nodes, sore throat, and muscle aches. These symptoms will also eventually go away, but the bacteria stay in the body.
3. Latent Syphilis: After the symptoms of secondary syphilis fade out, the infection goes into a dormant phase where you won’t get to see any signs or symptoms. However, the bacteria is still in your body and can become active anytime.
4. Tertiary Syphilis: If still left untreated, syphilis will progress to this late stage maybe even years after the infection first started. This stage causes serious health problems which affect the heart, brain and other organs. Chances of permanent damage, disability, or even death are there.

How Is Syphilis Transmitted?

Syphilis spreads mainly through sexual contact, but not just any type of contact:

• Sexual contact: The infection can be transmitted through vaginal, anal, or oral sex with someone who has syphilis sores. These sores can be there inside the body or on the skin and they don’t have to be visible to pass the infection.
• From mother to child: A pregnant woman with syphilis can pass the infection to her baby during pregnancy, with a risk of stillbirth, premature birth, or birth defects.
• Rare transmission: Though it’s very rare, syphilis can be passed through direct contact with an infected person’s blood while sharing needles or through blood transfusions (though blood banks screen for this).

Signs and Symptoms of Syphilis

The symptoms of syphilis are different in each stage you’re in. 

• Primary Stage:
  • A painless sore or ulcer (chancre) is seen at the site of infection.
  • At first, only one sore comes up, but there can be more.
  • These sores are firm, round and painless, so it is easy to overlook.
• Secondary Stage:
  • Skin rashes on the palms and soles are common in this stage.
  • Fever, sore throat, swollen lymph nodes, and muscle aches are usual.
  • Condylomata lata (large, flat warts) might come up on the genitals or around the anus.
  • Hair loss, headaches and fatigue are also possible.
• Latent Stage:
  • No symptoms, but the bacteria is still in the body.
  • You won’t know if you’re infected unless you get tested.
• Tertiary Stage:
  • This is the most dangerous stage and causes severe damage to organs like the heart, brain, and liver.
  • It can result in mental disorders, heart disease, or even death if not treated timely.

Allo Health has helped more than 75,000 patients with sexual health concerns including Syphilis testing and treatment. Learn more about how Allo Health can help you manage the symptoms of Syphilis.

How Syphilis Affects Intimate Relationships

Syphilis affects intimate relationships in ways:

1. If one person has syphilis and is not treated, they pass it on to their sexual partners, during their primary or secondary stages when sores are there.
2. If you are diagnosed with syphilis, it can make you stressed, embarrassed, and anxious. It might create mistrust between partners if one person believes the other might have been unfaithful.
3. Untreated syphilis can show up as other serious long-term health problems. As it can have some long-term damage giving emotional and physical strain in a relationship.
4. Talk it out about your STIs in your relationship. Get tested regularly, and use protection to save both yourself and your partner.

How Syphilis Is Diagnosed

If you have symptoms that might suggest you have syphilis, your doctor will likely:

1. Physical Exam: They’ll check for sores or rashes that might confirm that you have syphilis.
2. Blood Tests: A blood test will detect antibodies the body produces in response to the syphilis bacteria.
3. Fluid Sample: If you have open sores, a sample of fluid from the sore is taken to test for the bacteria.

It’s important to get tested early if you think you may have syphilis. The earlier it’s caught, the easier it is to treat. All sex doctors and sexual health therapists at Allo Health can help you with this. 

Treatments for Syphilis

The good news is that syphilis is treatable with antibiotics. The treatment depends on which stage of the infection you are in:

• Primary, Secondary, or Early Latent Syphilis: A single shot of antibiotic is enough to cure the infection.
• Late Latent or Tertiary Syphilis: You may need multiple doses of antibiotic, and the damage caused by the infection may not be reversible from this stage.

Ask your partner to be treated as well to prevent reinfection.

Allo Health experts specialise in the treatment of Syphilis in a holistic way. The experts first work with you to determine the stage of infection you have and run a thorough root cause assessment to give you a personalised treatment suited to your exact needs.

How to Prevent Syphilis

Prevention is the best way to protect yourself and others from syphilis. Here’s how you can reduce your risk:

1. Use Condoms: When you use condoms (male and female) on a regular basis to protect against syphilis and other STIs, though they might not cover all areas where sores are there.
2. Get Tested Regularly: If you’re sexually active with many sexual partners, it’s a good idea to get tested for STIs regularly.
3. Be Honest with Partners: If you or your partner have been diagnosed with syphilis or any STI, talk about it. It will prevent the spread of the infection.
4. Reduce Your Sexual Partners: The fewer sexual partners you have, the lower is your risk of getting syphilis and other STIs.
5. Avoid Any Sexual Contact If You Have Sores: If you or your partner get to see some sores or symptoms of syphilis, don’t have any sexual contact until you’ve been treated.

Key Takeaway

• Syphilis is a serious infection, but it’s also one of the most treatable STIs, especially when caught early. Understanding how it spreads, recognizing the symptoms, and taking the right precautions can help you protect yourself and your loved ones.
• Syphilis is primarily spread through direct contact with syphilis sores during vaginal, anal, or oral sex. It can also be passed from mother to baby during pregnancy, which can lead to congenital syphilis, causing severe birth defects or death.
• If you think you might be at risk or notice any symptoms, don’t hesitate to see a healthcare provider. With the right treatment, syphilis can be cured, and you can get back to living a healthy, fulfilling life.
• After years of increases, there was a notable decline in early-stage syphilis cases in 2023. This is attributed to efforts like better testing, contact tracing, and more widespread use of doxycycline. 
• You can now consult a sexual health doctor at any one of 20 Allo Sexual Health Clinics for a full STI diagnosis at just Rs. 499 or through an online consultation at just Rs. 199.