An infection that is rising with more and more infections being diagnosed. Syphilis is a bacteria and can be passed on easily thorough sexual contact:
- Vaginal, penile, anal, oral sex
- Sharing sex toys
- Pregnant women can pass the untreated infection to their baby at birth
- Through direct skin to skin contact with someone with a syphilitic rash or sores
The symptoms have 3 stages.
Many people don’t notice the symptoms in the early stages and only discover the infection from a routine STI blood test
If you do notice symptoms at the first stage, they are likely to include:
- Ulcers, often called Chancres on your genital area or mouth if you have had oral sex
- May occur 1 week after infection or many months later
If left untreated the infection will progress. If you do notice symptoms at the second stage, they are likely to include:
- A painless rash that is normally not itchy
- Spread all over the body or appear in patches, sometime on the trunk of the body but can also be seen on palms or soles of feet.
- White patches on the roof of the mouth if you have had oral sex
- Patchy hair loss
- Flu-like illness including loss of appetite and tiredness
- Swollen glands
- This can last weeks and months
- Less common but some women may experience lower abdominal pain, pain during sex, bleeding between periods
- Men may experience pain or swelling of the testicles and painful sex and the need to urinate more
If left untreated for years, the infection will progress to the third stage. The infection can cause very serious damage to the brain, nervous system, heart and eyes. At this stage syphilis can be life threatening.
Testing is free easy and simple.
You can get tested at any time if you think you have been exposed to syphilis. A simple blood test is all that is required. If you have an ulcer then we may take a sample from that ulcer. Syphilis can take up to 3 months to show up in your body, this is called the window period.
You will be treated with antibiotics which will be injected into your glutes.
Once you have been diagnosed with syphilis you cannot be a blood donor.