Syphilis
Signs and symptoms
The signs and symptoms of syphilis are the same in both men and women. They can be difficult to recognise and may take up to 3 months to show after having sexual contact with an infected person. Syphilis has several stages. The primary and secondary stages are very infectious.
Primary stage
One or more painless sores appear at the place where the syphilis bacteria entered the body. On average, this will be after 21 days. You may not notice them.
These sores can appear anywhere on the body but mainly:
* on the vulva (lips of the vagina), the clitoris and around the opening of the urethra (the water passage)
* on the cervix (neck of the womb) in women and on the penis and foreskin in men
* around the anus and mouth (both sexes)
The sore (or sores) is very infectious and may take from 2 to 6 weeks to heal.
Secondary stage
If the syphilis infection remains untreated the secondary stage usually occurs 3 to 6 weeks after the appearance of sores. The symptoms include:
* a non-itchy rash covering the whole body or appearing in patches
* flat, warty-looking growths on the vulva in women and around the anus in both sexes
* a flu-like illness, a feeling of tiredness and loss of appetite, accompanied by swollen glands (this can last for weeks or months)
* white patches on the tongue or roof of the mouth
* patchy hair loss
When these symptoms are present, syphilis is very infectious and may be sexually transmitted to a partner.
Treatment at any time during these first two stages of syphilis will cure the infection.
Latent stage
Latent syphilis refers to the presence of untreated syphilis. You can have no symptoms or signs of the infection, which is diagnosed by a positive blood test. If left untreated, you may develop symptomatic late syphilis. This would usually develop after more than 10 years. It is then that syphilis can affect the heart, and possibly the nervous system.
If treatment for syphilis is given during the latent stage the infection can be cured. However, if there has been heart or nervous-system damage before treatment is started this may be irreversible.
How syphilis is passed on
Syphilis can be transmitted by:
* having sex with someone who has the infection
* a mother to her unborn baby
Where to go for help
* Your local NHS sexual health (GUM) clinic.
You can find details of your nearest NHS sexual health clinic in the phone book under genito-urinary medicine (GUM), sexually transmitted diseases (STD) or venereal diseases (VD). Or phone your local hospital and ask for the ’special’ or GUM clinic. Our help and advice page links to websites which can tell you where to find your nearest clinic.
You will get free, confidential advice and treatment. You can go to any clinic anywhere in the country - you don’t have to go to a local one - and you don’t have to be referred by your GP. (Non-NHS sexual health clinics may not always offer the full range of services which are available at NHS sexual health clinics.)
* Your own GP.
* If you are in the UK, go to www.playingsafely.co.uk to find details of STD clinics.