Syphilis
From Epic Poem, To Epic Disease
How it's Spread
Syphilis is an STD (Sexually Transmitted Disease) that comes from a bacterium called Spriochete. Syphilis is transmitted from person to person by direct contact with syphilis sores. Sores occur mainly on the external genitals. Sores also can occur on the lips and in the mouth. Syphilis can be transmitted during vaginal, anal, or oral sexual contact. Pregnant women with the disease can pass it to their unborn children.
The disease got its name from an epic poem written about a shepherd(named Syphilis) who defied the Greek god Apollo, the disease was set as his punishment.
Open Syphilis Primary Stage Sore
Skin Rash from the Secondary Stage of Syphilis.
Symptoms and Treatments
Symptoms for Syphilis occur in stages. The appearance of single or multiple sores marks the primary stage of syphilis. The sore appears at the location where syphilis entered the body. The sore(s) are usually firm, round, and painless. . If the infected person does not receive proper treatment the infection progresses to the secondary stage. Skin rashes and/or sores in the mouth or genitals (also called mucous membrane lesions ) are the secondary stage of symptoms. In the Latent stage you can only detect Syphilis through blood tests. The Tertiary stage, Late or fourth stage, it can cause heart disease, blindness, and insanity. Primary and secondary stages of syphilis can usually be cured with a single injection of penicillin. Infection longer than a year or infection of the nervous system usually requires several doses of penicillin over time.
Facts about Syphilis!
- Syphilis can often go undetected because it is painless
- Syphilis can cause long term complications and/or death if not treated properly.
- It has often been called “the great imitator” because so many of the signs and symptoms are indistinguishable from those of other diseases.
- Annually, about 55,400 people in the United States get new syphilis infections.
- There were 46,042 reported new cases of syphilis in 2011
- In 2011, 72% of P&S syphilis occurred among men who have sex with men. T
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