Gonorrhea and syphilis symptoms

Written by Luo Hong
Dermatology Department
Updated on September 06, 2024
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Gonorrhea infection, if in males, generally presents with significant urethral irritation including symptoms such as urethral discharge, frequent urination, urgent urination, and pain during urination. However, in females with gonorrhea, it may cause increased vaginal discharge and an unusual odor, but many women with gonorrhea do not exhibit any symptoms. As for syphilis, if it is primary syphilis, ulcers may appear on the genitals, lips, or other body parts, known as chancres. In typical secondary syphilis, pinkish-red rashes may appear on the palms of the hands and soles of the feet, usually without itching, although rashes may also occur on the trunk and might not be itchy. Additionally, many cases of syphilis remain latent and show no clear symptoms.

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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.

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Written by Zhu Zhu
Dermatology
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Can third-stage syphilis be completely cured?

Whether tertiary syphilis can be completely cured depends on the specific conditions of different patients. If tertiary syphilis has not caused serious complications, then timely and standard syphilis treatment at this stage can potentially lead to a cure. However, if it has been a long time and the condition has been neglected, it might cause severe damage to tissue and organ functions and can be life-threatening. At this point, it cannot be completely cured; even using anti-inflammatory drugs to treat syphilis cannot reverse the complications and greatly affects the quality of life.

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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 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 Qu Jing
Dermatology
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How long is the latency period of syphilis?

Syphilis is a chronic infectious disease caused by the bacterium Treponema pallidum (TP), primarily transmitted through sexual contact and blood. The impact of syphilis is significant as it can affect all bodily tissues and organs, or can be transmitted through the placenta, leading to stillbirth, miscarriage, premature birth, and congenital infections. When syphilis is suspected, due to its complex clinical manifestations, a detailed medical history should be taken, a thorough physical examination conducted, and repeated laboratory tests performed to ensure an early and accurate diagnosis. It is important to trace back to any unprotected sexual contacts within the last six weeks and to routinely screen the sexual partners of patients for syphilis as well. Syphilis is divided into three stages: The diagnosis of primary syphilis is mainly based on the history of exposure, the incubation period (six weeks), typical clinical manifestations, and laboratory tests, noting that a negative syphilis serology result alone should not exclude the diagnosis of syphilis. The diagnosis of secondary syphilis primarily relies on the history of exposure, typical clinical manifestations, especially skin and mucosal lesions, combined with laboratory tests. The diagnosis of tertiary syphilis is mainly based on the history of exposure, typical clinical manifestations, and laboratory tests. Neurosyphilis can also be assessed through cerebrospinal fluid examination. Congenital syphilis primarily requires a maternal history of the disease, combined with typical clinical manifestations and laboratory tests for diagnosis.