 Syphilis one of greatest imitators in medicine
Added: 12/09/2005 |
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Syphilis is known as a widespread bacterial infection transmitted by sexual contacts. This disease is able to affect not only the person's genitals, but also mucous membranes and skin (in the most severe cases - even heart and brain). Syphilis treatment depends on the disease's stage and degree of severity. As a rule, to prevent syphilis any contacts with sick people should be avoided.
Syphilis is one of the well-known sexually transmitted diseases. It first appeared in Europe in the 1490s and was known as "pox". Many people then suffered madness, wasting, pain, severe boils and even death. An effective syphilis treatment was found only five hundred years later - when penicillin was discovered in 1940s. This led to a significant decline in the syphilis incidence and infamy.
If you'd like to know more about syphilis - it's necessary to be aware of the disease's aetiology, symptoms and possible ways of treatment.
It's important to know that syphilis is caused by the bacterium (or spirochaete) called "Treponema pallidum". The mentioned bacterial organism is likely to enter the human body via abrasions or minor cuts, sometimes - through mucous membranes. It's interesting to notice that Treponema pallidum is considered to be extremely sensitive to air, light and temperature changes. It is able to live only in the human body.
Many of the syphilis symptoms and signs are indistinguishable from other possible human's diseases. That's why syphilis is often called "a great imitator" in medicine.
It's worth admitting that many people infected with syphilis may not even know for years about it because as the disease doesn’t show any symptoms at first. But still they are able to infect others. That's why such people tend to transmit syphilis.
How can you get syphilis? Syphilis can be passed from one person to another via sexual contact (through direct contact with the disease's sore in vaginal, oral or anal sex). The mentioned sores are possible to appear mainly on external genitals, vagina, in the rectum or anus, rarely - in the mouth or lips. Be aware that a pregnant woman can transmit syphilis to her child. Syphilis cannot be passed via doorknobs, swimming pools, toilet seats, shared clothing or eating utensils.
There are three stages of syphilis depending on its severity degree. It's necessary to admit that syphilis can be contagious only during the primary and the secondary ones. The primary syphilis symptoms are likely to appear two or six weeks after being infected. First, syphilis occurs as a small sore called a "chancre" on the particular area where the sexual contact took place. If this primary infection goes untreated it may spread and affect the entire human body. That's why it's rather important to consult your doctor regarding any possible signs of the disease (especially if you're sexually active).
During the second stage of the disease (from two to ten weeks after the chancre heals) syphilis bacteria enters blood and thus - spread to the entire body causing such symptoms as rash, headache, fever, loss of appetite and weight, muscle aches, sore throat, enlarged lymph nodes and general ill feeling. The rash usually appears on the palms and soles. It is considered to be the primary way of syphilis transmission between people on the secondary stage. White patches called "condylomata lata" can occur as well around vagina or anus. In this stage syphilis often affects liver, eyes or kidneys.
The tertiary syphilis stage means having latent disease without any further symptoms. But still the person is sick and may have the so-called "neurosyphilis" - infection of the central nervous system with such symptoms as memory loss, problems with walking, balance, mental function, vision and bladder control, etc.
Thus, syphilis is a complicated disease. To prevent it, it's necessary to avoid unprotected sex or sex with the person with unknown health history.
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