What Are the Symptoms of Syphilis?
Syphilis still is among the most common and more fatal sexually-transmitted diseases (STD). Though sometimes it is quite difficult to recognize but it can be easily treated. The bacterium Treponema pallidum, a spirochete (long, spiral bacterium) is sexually-transmitted and the cause for the infection. For centuries it existed and remained a common ailment. Syphilis is perhaps blamed more for historically significant deaths than scientifically probable–it is, for example, much more interesting to let you know that Mozart died of syphilis than, perhaps, pneumonia. Anyway it still is amongst the most common deadly sexually-transmitted diseases. Syphilis can potentially lead to insanity and premature death if it is left untreated.
Most of the people infected with syphilis do not show any symptoms for years; however they remain at risk for late complications if they are left untreated. Even though the infection is spread from persons having sores who are in the primary or the secondary stage, many of these sores are unnoticed. Thus, infection may spread from persons who are not aware of their condition.
Syphilis occurs in several different stages and each stage has its own distinct signs and symptoms. Sometimes a person may detect the disease from its symptoms but it’s rather a difficult task as the symptoms of Syphilis is indistinguishable from many other diseases. The stages of syphilis are:
Primary Stage
The primary stage of syphilis is generally noticeable by the occurrence of a single sore or a chancre (pronounced: shang-ker), but there may be numerous sores. It takes 10 to 90 days, 21 days on average between infection with syphilis and before the first onset of the symptoms to appear. The chancre is usually stiff, round, tiny, and pain free. It appears at the point where the infection got into the body. The sores last 3 to 6 weeks, and generally heal with no treatment. Though, if sufficient treatment is not done, the infection advances to the secondary stage.
Secondary Stage
The secondary stage is distinguished by skin rash and mucous membrane lesions. In this stage the growth of a rash generally begins on one or more areas of the body. The rash generally doesn’t cause itching. In the secondary syphilis the rashes generally occurs as the chancre heals or a few weeks after the chancre has healed. During the second stage of syphilis a typical rash may emerge as rough, red, or reddish brown spots on both the palms of the hands and the bottoms of the feet. However sometimes they are so faint that they are not noticed. Additionally fever, sore throat, swollen lymph glands, patchy hair loss, weight loss, headaches, muscle aches, and weakness may also constitute the symptoms of secondary syphilis. The signs and symptoms of will resolve with or without treatment. But if left untreated, it may progress into the next stage.
 What is Syphilis?
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Late and Latent Stages
As soon as the primary and secondary syphilis symptoms disappear, the late and the latent stage of syphilis begin. Syphilis continues to remain in the body if it is left untreated. Infection remains in the body even when there are no signs or symptoms. This latent stage can sometimes last for years. In about 15% of people if they have not been treated for syphilis, the last stage of syphilis develops. Syphilis can occur 10 – 20 years after the infection was first transmitted. During the late stage of syphilis the signs and symptoms that may occur are difficulty coordinating muscle movements, numbness, paralysis, dementia and gradual blindness. Later it may even lead to death if it is left untreated.
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