Can syphilis be completely cured?

Written by Luo Hong
Dermatology Department
Updated on March 26, 2025
00:00
00:00

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.

Other Voices

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Zhang Xiu Rong
Obstetrics and Gynecology
53sec home-news-image

Which department should women go to for syphilis testing?

For female syphilis screening, one generally needs to visit the department of venereal diseases, where hospitals with such departments conduct syphilis tests. The test for syphilis involves a blood draw for the RPR syphilis virus test. Through this testing, one can determine whether they have contracted syphilis. If a syphilis infection is detected, it is essential to choose the appropriate medication based on the test results for targeted treatment. Generally, both AIDS and syphilis fall under the purview of the venereal disease department. Therefore, if you wish to undergo syphilis testing, you must visit the venereal disease department of a hospital for the relevant examinations. Typically, there is an incubation period, and if the results are completely negative after three months, it generally means there is no significant concern.

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Cui Lin Jing
Dermatology
1min 4sec home-news-image

What are the symptoms of tertiary syphilis?

Tertiary syphilis mainly occurs two to three years, or even five to ten years or longer, after infection. The primary skin manifestations are gummas, which often occur on the extensor side of the lower legs, and can present as ulcerations, erosions, nodules, and hyperplasia. It may also involve bones, joints, the heart, and blood vessels. The main manifestations include aortitis, aortic valve insufficiency, and aortic aneurysms. When the nervous system is involved, it can present as spinal tuberculosis and general paralysis, which are symptoms of paralytic dementia. The diagnosis of tertiary syphilis requires serological tests and cerebrospinal fluid analysis. The treatment involves primarily penicillin and benzathine penicillin, with erythromycin or tetracycline as alternatives for patients allergic to penicillin, and requires a longer course of treatment.

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Liu Wei Jie
Obstetrics
1min 1sec home-news-image

Does the eugenic five-item check include syphilis?

Does the eugenic check for syphilis? Eugenic examination checks for toxoplasmosis, rubella virus, cytomegalovirus, and other mycoplasma, chlamydia, or parvovirus infections. These are generally diseases transmitted through the respiratory tract, and if infection occurs, they mainly affect the development of the fetus's brain or eyes, as well as the development of the liver and other internal organs. The test for syphilis, which is a type of sexually transmitted disease, belongs to infectious diseases. The eugenic check does not necessarily concern infectious diseases; it can be contracted through respiratory infection or by consuming contaminated food. However, syphilis is very specific in its transmission, which occurs through blood, mother-to-child transmission, or sexual contact. These two are not the same concept.

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Qu Jing
Dermatology
1min 58sec home-news-image

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.

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Huang Ling Juan
Dermatology
1min 4sec home-news-image

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.)