hi everyone, it's dr conor here and todaywe will be discussing another sexually transmitted infection that has gradually been increasingin australia - syphilis. in this video, i will tell you about some of the symptoms,how it can be detected, treated and ultimately avoided so that you aren't exposed to someof the very serious adverse effects of this disease and can stay safe. syphilis is a sexually transmitted infectionand has been known about for centuries. it is known as the great imitator because ofthe vague symptoms that it causes. the infection presents in four stages called the primary,secondary, latent and tertiary stages, with different symptoms occurring at each stageof the infection. it can be tested for with
blood tests and is curable when treated withthe correct type of antibiotics. the incidence of this disease dropped dramatically withthe discovery of penicillin in the 1940's but the rates of infection have graduallybeen increasing during the last century. the infection can also be spread from motherto baby during pregnancy and birth, resulting in congenital syphilis of the newborn. therefore,it is usually part of the screening process for pregnant women who have antenatal bloodtests that test for syphilis. what are the symptoms of syphilis? syphilis can present in four stages with avariety of symptoms. classically, symptoms present in the following way but some stagesmay not be noticed by some people.
primary infections are caused by unprotectedsex with an infected person. a few weeks after sexual contact a skin lesion (usually in thegenital region) will occur called a chancre. this is commonly a non-tender skin ulcer.lymph node swelling and tenderness may also occur in the groin about 1 week after thechancre appears. the chancre will persist for up to 3 to 6 weeks before resolving andthe infection progressing to secondary syphilis without treatment. secondary syphilis occurs after the primaryinfection has progressed and the chancre may have healed. it usually occurs between 4 to10 weeks after the initial infection. symptoms of secondary syphilis can be quite vague butusually involve some sort of rash that is
non-itchy and involves the torso, limbs andpalms or soles of the hands and feet respectively. wart-like lesions may also develop in thegenital region or in the mouth. other vague symptoms associated with secondary syphilisinclude weight loss, sore throat, tiredness, hair loss, and fever.latent latent infection affects people who have beeninfected with syphilis and the primary and secondary symptoms have resolved. therefore,they are asymptomatic but can still be infectious and able to spread the infection to otherpeople they have sexual contact with. if they are female and pregnant they can also spreadit to their child. it usually occurs between 1 and 2 years after the initial infection.tertiary
tertiary syphilis occurs in about 30% of untreatedindividuals who have been infected with syphilis in the past. this stage usually occurs 3 to15 years after the initial infection. the symptoms of the tertiary stage can be dividedinto three distinct types affecting different areas of the body:* gummatous syphilis - soft tumours that can occur anywhere in the body including the skin,bone and liver. * neurosyphilis - affecting the brain andnervous system causing weakness, numbness, balance problems and dementia.* cardiovascular syphilis - affecting the heart causing structural problems with valvesand aneurysms. these are late complications of the infectionand require complex treatment and advice from
a variety of specialist physicians dependingon the symptoms involved. what are the tests for syphilis?syphilis can be tested for with blood tests detecting antibodies related to an infection.occasionally there may be a false positive result and further blood tests will need tobe performed to help identify whether there is an active infection.what is the treatment for syphilis? syphilis can be easily treated in the earlystages of the infection with antibiotics. usually, it is treated with intramuscularinjections of benzathine penicillin but other antibiotics can also be used to treat it ifnecessary. we always advise that you seek medical advice from a doctor when seekingtreatment for this infection and have close
follow-up to ensure eradication. as always it is very important to notify anyrecent sexual contacts that you may have caught the infection from, or transmitted it to sothat they can seek treatment as well and prevent further spread. summing upalthough syphilis is significantly less common than before antibiotics were invented thissexually transmitted infection has steadily been on the rise over the last century. ithas vague symptoms throughout the different stages of the infection but is quite infectiousthrough direct sexual contact. it can be easily tested for with blood tests and is curablewith appropriate antibiotic treatment. if
left untreated it can have devastating symptomsthat are ultimately life-threatening. thanks for watching today's video, if youfound the content helpful give the video a 'thumbs up' and if you have any questionsplease leave a comment below. if you live in australia, and would like to take advantageof our online sti testing service, head to www.internetdr.com.au and fill out the onlineforms...
