Syphilis

Overview

Treponema pallidum is the bacterium that causes Syphilis. It is the sexually transmitted illness (STD). Three stages of syphilis symptoms can be distinguished. A person with primary syphilis experiences symptoms 10 days to three months after being exposed to the infection. The first symptom is a tiny, painless chancre that can appear on the mouth, rectum, or genitalia. The symptoms disappears with secondary syphilis, but the rash spreads from the trunk to the entire body. Tertiary syphilis, which starts after years of an initial infection, is the final stage. Syphilis can lead to heart disease, blindness, paralysis, and numbness, among other consequences. Safe sex, staying away from multiple partners, and promoting sex education can all help prevent syphilis. Penicillin G is a common antibiotic used to treat syphilis. Penicillin or the use of other antibiotics like doxycycline, tetracycline, or ceftriaxone is advised in situations of syphilis.