Is syphilis contagious?

Written by Zhai Yu Juan
Dermatology Department
Updated on November 22, 2024
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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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What are the symptoms of tertiary syphilis?

Tertiary syphilis belongs to the latest stage of syphilis. If a patient develops tertiary syphilis, their symptoms are generally very severe, mainly involving the skin, cardiovascular system, musculoskeletal system, and even the nervous system. In particular, when the nervous system is involved, symptoms such as drowsiness and confusion may occur. Cardiovascular involvement can lead to related cardiovascular symptoms, and if the musculoskeletal system is affected, symptoms generally appear in the bones.

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Written by Zhai Yu Juan
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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.

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Written by Huang Ling Juan
Dermatology
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What are the symptoms of syphilitic disease?

The symptoms of syphilitic disease are diverse, and syphilis is divided into early syphilis and late syphilis. In the early stages of syphilis, during the primary phase, it usually presents as a hard chancre on the genital area, without obvious pain. In secondary syphilis, it manifests as polymorphic roseola, usually appearing as patches of varying sizes on the trunk, covered with scales, with no significant itching. In tertiary or late syphilis, there can be damage to multiple systems including bones and nerves. Once syphilis is diagnosed, it is essential to treat it early. Early treatment generally leads to good outcomes, with most people recovering. If it progresses to late stages, treatment outcomes are relatively poor. The first choice of treatment for syphilis is long-acting penicillin.

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Written by Zhu Zhu
Dermatology
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Is tertiary syphilis highly contagious?

The infectivity of tertiary syphilis is not very high, although it still possesses relatively weak contagiousness. Syphilis in its primary and secondary stages often shows high titers in tests and has stronger infectivity, while tertiary syphilis has reduced infectivity. However, tertiary syphilis can easily lead to various complications, including damage to tissues and organs, making it more harmful than the primary and secondary stages. Therefore, it is crucial to treat tertiary syphilis promptly.

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Written by Cui Lin Jing
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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.