What We Have to Take Into Consideration in Syphilis in Women
Syphilis is a systemic disease caused by spirochete Treponema pallidum.
It is transmitted by sexual contact with a person who has an active spirochete-containing lesion.
Like gonorrhea and Chlamydia, it must be reported to public health departments, which is a cause for further embarrassment.
This can be avoided by going to STD clinics since they are not required to report it; this will keep your condition a secret and your identity confidential.
After an incubation period of 10 to 90 days, a typical lesion appears, usually on the genitalia or on the mouth, lips, or rectal area duet to oral-genital or genital-anal contact.
The lesion or chancre is a deep ulcer and is usually painless despite its size.
Lymphadenopathy may be present but is unlikely to be noticed by the affected person.
A lesion in the vagina may not be detected.
Without treatment, a chancre lasts approximately six weeks and then fades.
Approximately two to four weeks after the chancre disappears, a generalized, macular, copper-colored rash appears.
Unlike many other rashes, it affects the soles and the palms.
A serologic test for syphilis in women yields positive results at this time.
There may be secondary symptoms of generalized illness, such as low grade fever and adenopathy.
With or without treatment, a chancre lasts approximately six weeks and then fades.
The next stage is a latency period that may last from only a few years to several decades.
The only indication of the disease is the serologic test, which continues to yield a positive result.
The final stage of syphilis is a destructive neurologic disease that involves major body organs such as the heart and the nervous system.
Typical symptoms are blindness, paralysis, severe crippling neurologic deformities, mental confusion, slurred speech, and lack of coordination.
This third stage must be identified before the disease becomes fatal.
Syphilis is diagnosed by recognition of the various symptoms of the three stages and by serologic serum tests, usually the Venereal Disease Research Laboratory test (VDRL), the automated regain test (ART), the rapid plasma regain test (RPR), or the fluorescent treponemal antibody absorption test (FTA-ABS).
Benzathine penicillin G, given intramuscularly in two sites, is effective therapy.
For the adolescent who is sensitive to penicillin, either oral erythromycin or tetracycline can be given for 10 to 15 days.
Sexual partners are treated in the same way as the person with the active infection.
Therapy effectively arrests the disease at whatever stage it has reached.
Because syphilis can be treated so easily, one would think it would be easy to eradicate.
In reality, however, because the primary chancre is painless, many people are either unaware of it or choose to ignore it, thereby transmitting the disease to unsuspecting partners.
For penicillin-sensitive women, several other antibiotics such as doxycycline and tetracycline, have also proven effective.
Antibiotic therapy to treat gonorrhea and other infections will not likely eliminate syphilis as well because such therapy is usually administered for too short a period to affect the slow-growing spirochete.
Adolescents, in particular, need accurate information about syphilis to become aware of the symptoms.
They should believe that they can report the disease to health care personnel and can name sexual contacts without fear of being criticized.
If a woman develops syphilis during pregnancy, the disease can be spread to the fetus.
It is transmitted by sexual contact with a person who has an active spirochete-containing lesion.
Like gonorrhea and Chlamydia, it must be reported to public health departments, which is a cause for further embarrassment.
This can be avoided by going to STD clinics since they are not required to report it; this will keep your condition a secret and your identity confidential.
After an incubation period of 10 to 90 days, a typical lesion appears, usually on the genitalia or on the mouth, lips, or rectal area duet to oral-genital or genital-anal contact.
The lesion or chancre is a deep ulcer and is usually painless despite its size.
Lymphadenopathy may be present but is unlikely to be noticed by the affected person.
A lesion in the vagina may not be detected.
Without treatment, a chancre lasts approximately six weeks and then fades.
Approximately two to four weeks after the chancre disappears, a generalized, macular, copper-colored rash appears.
Unlike many other rashes, it affects the soles and the palms.
A serologic test for syphilis in women yields positive results at this time.
There may be secondary symptoms of generalized illness, such as low grade fever and adenopathy.
With or without treatment, a chancre lasts approximately six weeks and then fades.
The next stage is a latency period that may last from only a few years to several decades.
The only indication of the disease is the serologic test, which continues to yield a positive result.
The final stage of syphilis is a destructive neurologic disease that involves major body organs such as the heart and the nervous system.
Typical symptoms are blindness, paralysis, severe crippling neurologic deformities, mental confusion, slurred speech, and lack of coordination.
This third stage must be identified before the disease becomes fatal.
Syphilis is diagnosed by recognition of the various symptoms of the three stages and by serologic serum tests, usually the Venereal Disease Research Laboratory test (VDRL), the automated regain test (ART), the rapid plasma regain test (RPR), or the fluorescent treponemal antibody absorption test (FTA-ABS).
Benzathine penicillin G, given intramuscularly in two sites, is effective therapy.
For the adolescent who is sensitive to penicillin, either oral erythromycin or tetracycline can be given for 10 to 15 days.
Sexual partners are treated in the same way as the person with the active infection.
Therapy effectively arrests the disease at whatever stage it has reached.
Because syphilis can be treated so easily, one would think it would be easy to eradicate.
In reality, however, because the primary chancre is painless, many people are either unaware of it or choose to ignore it, thereby transmitting the disease to unsuspecting partners.
For penicillin-sensitive women, several other antibiotics such as doxycycline and tetracycline, have also proven effective.
Antibiotic therapy to treat gonorrhea and other infections will not likely eliminate syphilis as well because such therapy is usually administered for too short a period to affect the slow-growing spirochete.
Adolescents, in particular, need accurate information about syphilis to become aware of the symptoms.
They should believe that they can report the disease to health care personnel and can name sexual contacts without fear of being criticized.
If a woman develops syphilis during pregnancy, the disease can be spread to the fetus.
