Does third-stage syphilis rash itch?

Written by Zhu Zhu
Dermatology
Updated on February 04, 2025
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People with tertiary syphilis generally do not experience itching. Tertiary syphilis represents the later stages of the disease manifestation. Typically, the symptoms on the skin are neither painful nor itchy, which is the case for most individuals. However, some patients may feel differently from the majority, experiencing anomalies, or they might develop secondary conditions such as eczema or allergies, among others, possibly leading to mild itching and so on.

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Written by Zhu Zhu
Dermatology
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Can tertiary syphilis be breastfed?

Syphilis is a common infectious disease caused by the syphilis spirochete, with tertiary syphilis being the most severe and most infectious stage. Therefore, breastfeeding is not allowed if one has tertiary syphilis, as breastfeeding is one of the transmission routes of syphilis. If breastfeeding occurs, syphilis can potentially be transmitted to the child through the breast milk. The breast milk of syphilis patients contains syphilis spirochetes, and if a syphilis patient breastfeeds a child, it essentially means transmitting this pathogen to the newborn through the milk. Thus, syphilis patients are prohibited from breastfeeding.

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Written by Zhai Yu Juan
Dermatology Department
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Is syphilis contagious?

Syphilis is a sexually transmitted disease caused by infection with the syphilis spirochete. After infection, the pathogen can invade various organs throughout the body, causing a variety of symptoms. As a classic sexually transmitted disease, syphilis is contagious, with its main routes of transmission being through sexual contact, mother-to-child transmission, and also through close contact, such as kissing, or the use of daily items from a syphilis patient, such as towels, razors, cutlery, etc. If syphilis is not treated, its infectivity gradually decreases over time.

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Written by Luo Hong
Dermatology Department
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Can syphilis be completely cured?

Syphilis can generally be completely cured nowadays, except neurosyphilis which is somewhat harder to treat, as ordinary syphilis is curable and neurosyphilis may relapse occasionally. However, most current cases of syphilis fall into categories of latent, primary, or secondary syphilis. Tertiary syphilis is less common, and forms such as neurosyphilis and osteal syphilis belong to this stage. Therefore, when treated at a regular hospital with a standard treatment regimen, primarily using penicillin, administered as a long-acting intramuscular injection once a week, the recommended course of treatment usually consists of three to four weeks. If there is an allergy to penicillin, doxycycline can be used as an oral substitute for half a month.

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Written by Zhu Zhu
Dermatology
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Does tertiary syphilis have titers?

If one is suffering from stage three syphilis, syphilis titers will be present. However, syphilis titers do not always correlate directly with the severity of the condition. It is possible for the titers in stage one and two syphilis to be higher than in stage three. It's often the case that stage three syphilis represents the late stages of the disease, and the titers might decrease as the disease progresses into these later stages. Examples include titers such as 1:8 or 1:4, although some patients might exhibit titers of 1:16.

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Written by Zhu Zhu
Dermatology
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Can tertiary syphilis be transmitted?

Third-stage syphilis is contagious, but its infectivity is weaker compared to first-stage and second-stage syphilis. However, the damage caused by third-stage syphilis is very severe, often causing damage to tissues and organ functions. It can potentially cause disabilities, deformities, or even life-threatening conditions. Therefore, the characteristic of third-stage syphilis is its weak infectivity but strong damaging effects. Thus, it is crucial to take third-stage syphilis seriously and seek regular and timely treatment.