What are the symptoms of syphilitic disease?

Written by Huang Ling Juan
Dermatology
Updated on September 10, 2024
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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
41sec home-news-image

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 Zhu Zhu
Dermatology
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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 Liu Wei Jie
Obstetrics
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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.

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Written by Zhu Zhu
Dermatology
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Is third-stage syphilis contagious?

Third-stage syphilis is infectious, but its contagiousness is relatively weak compared to first-stage and second-stage syphilis. The titers detected in third-stage syphilis are usually lower, so its infectiousness is comparatively minor. However, third-stage syphilis still has the capability to infect others. Therefore, patients with third-stage syphilis must actively seek treatment and refrain from having sexual relations with others, while also enhancing their own immunity.

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Written by Luo Hong
Dermatology Department
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Gonorrhea and syphilis symptoms

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.