When is the third stage of syphilis?

Written by Zhu Zhu
Dermatology
Updated on September 12, 2024
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Tertiary syphilis is a relatively late stage of syphilis, often occurring two to three years after the initial detection of the disease. For patients with a longer course of the disease, it generally appears five to ten years later. Once tertiary syphilis is diagnosed, it is often accompanied by damage to various organ functions, such as the cardiovascular system, bones, skin, and nervous system. Therefore, it is crucial to detect and treat syphilis early and to follow standard treatment protocols with a doctor. Otherwise, once it progresses to tertiary syphilis, it becomes very difficult to cure.

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Written by Liu Gang
Dermatology
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Syphilis can be cured, true or false?

Syphilis belongs to a category of sexually transmitted diseases and is infected through sexual contact. The most common symptoms include a hard chancre at the genital area, presenting as a painless ulcerative lesion. Syphilis can be completely cured with proper treatment; however, even after complete recovery, the presence of Treponema pallidum will remain positive for life, which is irreversible. Most treated syphilis cases can return to normal titers or maintain at a normal level without pathogenicity or recurrence. During the treatment of syphilis, it is essential to maintain a proper diet and lifestyle habits, avoid soaking in public baths or swimming pools, ensure underwear worn is sun-disinfected, and abstain from sexual contact.

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Written by Huang Ling Juan
Dermatology
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Early symptoms of syphilis

Syphilis is a chronic, systemic sexually transmitted disease caused by the Treponema pallidum bacterium. It is highly contagious and very harmful. The early symptoms of syphilis usually include the appearance of a chancre. Typically, about three weeks after infection, a hard, painless, round nodule appears at the site of infection. It starts as a reddish, moist spot, then gradually becomes ulcerated and eroded, forming an ulcer. This is an early manifestation of syphilis, known as a chancre. The harm caused by syphilis is very significant. Once syphilis is diagnosed, it is crucial to start treatment early. Early prevention of syphilis is essential, and any early symptoms should be taken very seriously. Treatment can be administered under a doctor's guidance, usually involving the muscle injection of long-acting penicillin. (Under the guidance of a doctor for medication.)

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Written by Wang Chun Mei
Pulmonology
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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.

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Written by Zhang Jian Bo
Dermatology
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What are the early symptoms of syphilis?

Syphilis is divided into overt and latent syphilis. Latent syphilis, regardless of whether it is early or late stage, shows no symptoms at all and can only be confirmed by blood testing. The symptoms in the early stage are mainly those of overt syphilis, primarily manifestations of primary syphilis. The stages of primary, secondary, and tertiary syphilis begin with the appearance of a lesion at the site of infection, typically about 0.5 to 1 centimeter in diameter, with a hard, dark red nodule that feels like cartilage. The surface may have ulcers; it may be painless, or there may be no pain at all. Subsequently, nearby lymph nodes may become enlarged. This swelling of the lymph nodes is characterized by being painless, usually unilateral, with no redness or rupture. These are the clear symptoms of overt primary syphilis. If treated properly at this stage, recovery is generally rapid.

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Written by Luo Hong
Dermatology Department
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Can syphilis antibodies be detected during the hard chancre stage?

During the hard chancre phase of syphilis, a portion of cases can test positive for Treponema pallidum, although some tests may return negative results. In such cases, it is advisable to retest after one month. The earliest detectable antibodies for Treponema pallidum are usually of two types: a Treponema pallidum-specific antibody, which appears earlier than the non-specific antibodies. There are tests for non-specific antibodies, commonly referred to as RPR or TRUST, which are standard practices in major hospitals. Therefore, in early-stage syphilis or primary syphilis with hard chancre, it is possible to find Treponema pallidum-specific antibodies positive, RPR or TRUST negative, or both negative. If syphilis is strongly suspected in such cases, a retest is recommended after one month.