Syphilis is a sexually transmitted infection (STI) which cause by bacteria and can develop to serious health problems if left untreated.

Secondary syphilis can occur 7 to 10 weeks after the infection. Symptoms can last for 6 months or more and may include:
• a red rash on the palms, soles, chest or back
• fever
• enlarged glands in the armpits and groin
• sore throat
• hair loss
• weight loss
• headaches
• pain in the bones, muscles and joints
• tiredness
• ulcers in the mouth, nasal cavity or genitals
• neurological symptoms
Latent syphilis generally has no symptoms and it is only picked up on blood tests. If syphilis is not treated at this stage, it can remain latent or develop into tertiary syphilis. Latent syphilis is infectious within the first 12 to 24 months.

Tertiary syphilis can appear anywhere from 5 to 20 years after primary infection. At this stage, the bacteria can damage almost any part of the body including the heart, brain, spinal cord, eyes and bones, resulting in heart disease, mental illness, blindness, deafness and neurological problems.

Syphilis is usually spread through skin-to-skin contact during vaginal, anal or oral sex. It can also be spread by direct contact with open sores on areas such as the lips, mouth, breasts or genitals.
Syphilis is highly infectious during the time when a sore or rash is present. It can also be passed on before people know they have it and by people who don’t have any sores.
Syphilis can occasionally be spread by blood contamination, via needle-stick injury or sharing injecting equipment. It is extremely rare to get syphilis through a blood transfusion.

Your doctor will need to do a blood test to confirm a diagnosis of syphilis. The blood test detects the antibodies that the body produces to combat infection. A positive test shows that you have a current or past infection. It can take 3 months to develop antibodies, so the tests may be negative early on. Your doctor may also do a swab test from a sore.

To prevent syphilis infection.
It is safest to:
• always use condoms
• always use dental dams for oral sex
• avoid sex with someone infected with syphilis or who has symptoms of syphilis until they have finished treatment
• have regular STI check-ups — every 6 to 12 months

Syphilis can lead to serious complications if not treated. It can spread throughout the body over many years (tertiary syphilis) and lead to major problems in the brain, eyes and heart. If not treated, congenital syphilis can have major impacts, including miscarriage, stillbirth, prematurity, low birthweight or death shortly after birth

It is very important to tell previous sex partners who may have been exposed so that they can also be tested and treated if infected. Your doctor will help you decide who you need to tell and how you can tell them.
Having syphilis once does not protect you from getting it again. Even after you’ve been successfully treated, you can still be re-infected. Only laboratory tests can confirm whether you have syphilis. Follow-up testing by your health care provider is recommended to make sure that your treatment was successful.

TESTBKK-Clinic for STIs which provide useful information and provide fast and reliable STIs test
https://testsgn.org/th

Bamrasnaradura Infectious Diseases Institute-Hospital which specialized in STIs
https://ddc.moph.go.th/bidi/

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2021, July 22). Detailed std facts – gonorrhea. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Retrieved September 10, 2021, from https://www.cdc.gov/std/gonorrhea/stdfact-gonorrhea-detailed.htm.

NHS. (n.d.). Nhs choices. Retrieved September 10, 2021, from https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/gonorrhoea/.

ข้อมูลในเว็บไซต์ TestBKK เป็นเพียงข้อมูลแนะนำทั่วไปเท่านั้น  ไม่ใช่คำแนะนำทางการแพทย์ ถ้าต้องการคำแนะนำเรื่องยาอี คุณควรปรึกษาแพทย์ผู้เชี่ยวชาญ