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SyphilisImportant Note: Sydney is currently experiencing increasing numbers of syphilis cases. DescriptionSyphilis is a bacterial infection that infects the dick, throat or arse and then spreads to different parts of the body through the bloodstream. If left untreated syphilis can cause damage to the nerves, bones, skin, eyes, and brain. TransmissionSyphilis is usually caught by touching sores and rashes of someone with the infection during sex including giving or receiving anal or oral sex, or arse play. Someone can pass on syphilis for up to two years after they become infected – even if they have no symptoms. When there are no symptoms, the infection can be passed on through contact with infected body fluids, like cum. Signs and SymptomsSome people never develop symptoms and in others it’s easy for the early symptoms to go unnoticed. Syphilis has infectious and non-infectious stages Infectious StageSyphilis can produce a painless sore on the dick, in the arse or in the mouth 10-90 days after infection. The sore usually turns into a scab and heals after two to six weeks but the infection remains. Only areas covered by condoms, gloves or dams are protected from infection. Seven to ten weeks after infection some people then develop a rash on the torso (body), hands or feet. Symptoms may also include fever, swollen lymph glands, sore throat, patchy hair loss, headaches, muscle aches and tiredness. The symptoms may last up to a few months and then disappear. Non-infectious SyphilisIf left untreated, syphilis remains in the body. It stops being infectious to sexual partners after about 2 years. During the non-infectious stage syphilis may begin to damage the body’s internal organs, which may include the brain, nerves, eyes, heart, liver, bones, joints and blood vessels. In some people this internal damage may not show up for years. Damage to internal organs can occur after 10 to 25 years and may be serious enough to cause death. What is the test for syphilis?If a sore (called a chancre) is present a swab can be taken of it. However, the usual test for syphilis is a blood test. It can take up to three months after exposure for the infection to show up in the blood test. Once someone has been infected with syphilis most future blood tests will show up as positive – even if they have been successfully treated. A particular test is used to identify a new infection – as well as to see if treatment has worked. TreatmentSyphilis is treated with injections of antibiotics. The duration of treatment depends on the stage of infection and ranges from between 1 and 30 days. Treatment is often provided if you have had contact with someone who has had syphilis to prevent it developing in you. If You’re HIV PositiveSyphilis is harder to detect and harder to treat in people with HIV. It is a serious infection that can be mistaken for other infections found in people with HIV. While the symptoms of syphilis infection are usually similar, some HIV positive men develop severe organ and nerve damage much more rapidly than HIV negative men. For some, syphilis can decrease the CD4 count (therefore causing damage to the immune system) as well as increase the viral load. Having syphilis increases the risks of HIV transmission. PreventionAvoid contact with any sores or rashes. Safe sex, for HIV, is not completely safe for syphilis but provides the best protection. View example (Warning: graphic images) This page last updated 23 July 2008 |
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