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Vivien Williams: Syphilis is a sexually transmitted infection caused by the bacterium Treponema pallidum. Dr. Stacey Rizza, an infectious diseases specialist at Mayo Clinic, says syphilis affects men and women and can present in various stages.
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Stacey Rizza, M.D.: Primary syphilis causes an ulcer, and this sometimes isn't noticed because it's painless and can be inside the vagina or on the ... Syphilis symptoms Syphilis is an infection caused by germs called bacteria. The disease affects the genitals, skin, mouth and anus. It also can involve many other parts of the body, including the brain and heart.
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The symptoms of syphilis may happen in three stages — primary, secondary and tertiary. Medically reviewed by Katlein Franca, MD Key Takeaways A syphilis rash often appears as faint or reddish-brown bumps and can be hard to see.The rash usually affects the trunk, palms, and soles but can ... Syphilis spreads from person to person through direct contact with these sores. It also can be passed to a baby during pregnancy and childbirth and sometimes through breastfeeding. After the infection happens, syphilis bacteria can stay in the body for many years without causing symptoms.
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But the infection can become active again. Diagnosis You may be able to use a test that's available without a prescription, sometimes called an at-home test, to see if you have syphilis. If that test shows you have syphilis, you'll need to see a healthcare professional to confirm the diagnosis and start treatment. Your healthcare team can find syphilis by testing samples of: Syphilis can also spread by just physical contact, meaning the lesions are contagious. If your partner has the typical syphilis lesion, and you have exposed skin and touch each other, you will be putting yourself at risk for getting syphilis. You can get it from physical contact as well, whether or not you actually had intercourse.