Syphilis - secondary Health Article

Definition

Secondary syphilis is the second stage of the sexually transmitted disease syphilis This stage is the most contagious.

Alternative Names

Secondary syphilis

Causes, incidence, and risk factors

Syphilis is a sexually-transmitted infectious disease caused by the spirochete Treponema pallidum. Syphilis has three main stages: primary syphilis, secondary syphilis, and tertiary syphilis.

About a third of untreated individuals with primary syphilis will develop secondary syphilis. This usually occurs at about 2 to 8 weeks after the appearance of the original painless sore (chancre). Sometimes, the sore may still be present.

In secondary syphilis, the bacteria has spread into the bloodstream.

Symptoms

The most common symptom is a skin rash, which varies in appearance, yet frequently involves the palms and soles. Lesions called mucous patches may be seen in or on the mouth, vagina, or penis.

Moist, warty patches may develop on the genitalia or skin folds. These are called condylomata lata.

During secondary syphilis, additional symptoms such as fever, general ill feeling, loss of appetite, muscle aches, joint pain, enlarged lymph nodes, and hair loss may occur.

Signs and tests

Blood tests can be done to detect substances produced by the bacteria that causes syphilis. An initial screening is done with the VDRL test or RPR. If these are positive, the diagnosis is confirmed by another blood test called FTA-ABS

Treatment

Antibiotics are used to treat syphilis. The antibiotic of choice is penicillin, yet doxycycline may be used as an alternative in individuals with a penicillin allergy.

You must have follow-up blood tests at 3 and 6 months (and later if needed) to make sure the infection is gone. You should avoid sexual conduct until two follow-up tests show that the infection has been cured. Syphilis is extremely contagious in the primary and secondary stages.

Several hours after treatment, some people have a reaction called Jarish-Herxheimer reaction. Symptoms of this reaction include:

• Fever
• Chills
• Headache
• Nausea
• General feeling of being ill
• General joint aches
• Genera muscle aches

These symptoms usually disappear within 24 hours.

Syphilis is a reportable infection -- that means that doctors must reported any cases of syphilis to public health authorities, so that potentially infected sexual partners may be identified and treated.