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Syphilis
What are the symptoms of syphilis in women?
In the early stages of syphilis in women, a hard chancre appears, often accompanied by swollen inguinal lymph nodes. These nodes are about the size of a finger, relatively hard, non-fusing, painless, and without tenderness; their surfaces exhibit no redness, swelling, or signs of inflammation such as fever. The lymph fluid from a puncture will contain Treponema pallidum (the syphilis bacterium). During the early stage of syphilis, the appearance of a hard chancre significantly increases the positivity rate for syphilis. If the hard chancre is not treated timely, it generally disappears naturally within three to four weeks, after which it enters the latent phase of secondary syphilis. The second stage of syphilis is typically characterized by patches of varying-sized erythemas on the trunk and copper-red, symmetrical maculopapular rashes on the palms and soles. Upon detection of syphilis, prompt and thorough treatment is essential.
Symptoms of syphilis in men
The symptoms of syphilis in men are divided into three stages, depending on the condition of the disease. The most common symptom of primary syphilis is a chancre. It is usually seen on the glans, coronal sulcus, foreskin, and frenulum of the penis as small red spots, which quickly develop into painless inflammatory papules. After several days, the papules can enlarge and form a hard lump with serous secretions on the surface. Secondary syphilis generally occurs due to incomplete treatment of primary syphilis, or lack of timely treatment, leading to damage on the skin and mucous membranes, such as flat condyloma and maculopapular syphilitic rash. Tertiary syphilis usually appears two to three years after the syphilis infection. Patients can exhibit skin and mucous membrane damage, mainly nodular syphilitic rash and gummatous syphilis.
Is bronchial asthma caused by syphilis?
Asthmatic bronchitis is not caused by syphilis; it is closely related to environmental factors in clinical settings and may also be caused by physical and chemical factors. Additionally, many patients may have asthmatic bronchitis due to genetic factors. Clinically, syphilis is classified as a sexually transmitted disease. The lesions caused by syphilis can be systemic or localized, primarily presenting with clinical discomfort symptoms related to the skin or other organs. In patients with asthmatic bronchitis, the condition typically involves specific inflammatory changes in the trachea, indicating that asthmatic bronchitis is not caused by syphilis.
Can a cervical biopsy detect syphilis?
Cervical biopsy is used to examine cervical lesions. Patients with bleeding or irregular vaginal bleeding should undergo cervical cancer screening, generally starting with a TCT and HPV test, or a cervical biopsy if cervical lesions are suspected. If there are abnormalities in the TCT or HPV test, a cervical biopsy may be needed. Cervical biopsy is a test for cervical cancer screening, while syphilis testing must be done through serological testing. A cervical biopsy cannot detect the presence of syphilis, as these two tests are unrelated; therefore, a cervical biopsy cannot determine the presence of syphilis.
How to identify if it is syphilis rash?
To determine if it is syphilis rash, one can usually judge by the symptoms. The appearance of syphilis rash lacks obvious distinctive features, typically manifesting as red macules and papules all over the body, some might be patches. There are nodules on the skin, pustules, and some might also develop ulcers. After the appearance of syphilis rash, it generally does not cause intense itching and manifests symmetrical copper-red papules in the palms and soles of the feet, which is typically seen in secondary syphilis. If there has been unprotected sexual activity and these rashes appear on the limbs and trunk, it is necessary to visit a dermatology department in a standard hospital for specific examination. Many skin diseases have similar symptoms, and it is usually difficult to diagnose based solely on the appearance of the lesions.
How is syphilis treated?
Syphilis is a sexually transmitted disease caused by the infection of Treponema pallidum. The main transmission routes include sexual contact, mother-to-child transmission, close personal contact, and blood transmission. Once diagnosed with syphilis, formal treatment should be administered under the guidance of local doctors, with penicillin generally being the first choice for treatment. Both the patient and their sexual partners need to undergo thorough examination and treatment. Additionally, regular follow-up examinations are necessary after treatment, typically under the guidance of local doctors, with continuous follow-up for three years to ensure effective treatment of syphilis.
Can third stage syphilis be detected?
Third-stage syphilis can be detected. Syphilis is divided into primary, secondary, and tertiary stages, with the severity progressively increasing from the primary to tertiary stage, making tertiary syphilis a relatively advanced and serious condition. It can be detected by measuring the titers in serum, although the titers in tertiary syphilis may be lower than in the primary and secondary stages, and may sometimes present as negative. However, through the symptoms of tertiary syphilis, particularly some complications affecting the skin, cardiovascular system, bones, joints, and other organs, combined with the titer levels, it can definitely be detected.
Treatment of Syphilis
Syphilis is a sexually transmitted disease caused by infection with the syphilis spirochete. Transmission routes include sexual contact, mother-to-child transmission, close living contact transmission, and blood transmission. Sexual transmission is the main mode of transmission. After infection with syphilis, it can affect various organs throughout the body, causing a variety of symptoms. Syphilis is primarily diagnosed through hematological tests to determine if one is infected. After a diagnosis of syphilis, formal anti-syphilis treatment is needed, with the first choices being long-acting penicillin and benzathine penicillin. After treatment, regular follow-ups are necessary, generally over a three-year period: every three months in the first year, every six months in the second year, and once in the third year, to determine if the condition has improved. (Medication should be used under the guidance of a doctor.)
What is the typical titer for third-stage syphilis?
The titers of tertiary syphilis are generally lower than those of primary and secondary syphilis. Syphilis is divided into three stages. During the primary and secondary stages, the reactivity of the Treponema pallidum is higher, thus the titers are also higher. However, the titers for tertiary syphilis often appear lower or even negative. The level of syphilis titers is not significantly related to the duration of the illness. Interestingly, tertiary syphilis generally occurs when the disease has already progressed for more than two years, which results in lower titers.
What are the initial symptoms of syphilis?
The initial symptoms of syphilis typically refer to the symptoms of primary and secondary syphilis. The symptoms of primary syphilis mainly include a chancre, usually a single superficial ulcer located at the genital area with a clear border, scant discharge, no pain, and no tenderness. Serological tests would show a positive result for Treponema pallidum. Some patients may also experience local lymph node enlargement. In secondary syphilis, patients often develop papules, macules, and vesicles on the skin, and symmetrical copper-red macules appear on the hands and feet. For the treatment of syphilis infection, penicillin is primarily chosen. If there is an allergy to penicillin, macrolide antibiotics can be used as an alternative. It is crucial to treat syphilis promptly after infection.