SYPHILIS

BY:
YANSON,HONEY JOY P.

SYPHILIS IS A SEXUALLY TRANSMITTED BACTERIAL

INFECTION, CAUSED BY THE BACTERIA
TREPONEMA PALLIDUM, WHICH IN ADULTS IS
CATEGORIZED INTO STAGES; PRIMARY,
SECONDARY, LATENT AND TERTIARY .

THE FIRST SIGN OF SYPHILIS IS A SMALL, PAINLESS SORE. IT CAN

APPEAR ON YOUR SEXUAL ORGANS, RECTUM, OR INSIDE YOUR
MOUTH. THIS SORE IS CALLED A CHANCRE. PEOPLE OFTEN FAIL TO
NOTICE IT RIGHT AWAY
THE FOUR STAGES OF SYPHILIS ARE:
PRIMARY
SECONDARY
LATENT
TERTIARY
SYPHILIS IS MOST INFECTIOUS IN THE FIRST TWO STAGES.
WHEN SYPHILIS IS IN THE HIDDEN, OR LATENT, STAGE, THE DISEASE
REMAINS ACTIVE BUT OFTEN WITH NO SYMPTOMS AND IS NOT
CONTAGIOUS TO OTHERS. TERTIARY SYPHILIS IS THE MOST
DESTRUCTIVE TO YOUR HEALTH.

PRIMARY SYPHILIS
THE PRIMARY STAGE OF SYPHILIS OCCURS ABOUT
THREE TO FOUR WEEKS AFTER YOURE INFECTED WITH
THE BACTERIA. IT BEGINS WITH A SMALL, ROUND SORE
CALLED A CHANCRE. A CHANCRE IS PAINLESS, BUT ITS
HIGHLY INFECTIOUS. THIS SORE MAY APPEAR
WHEREVER THE BACTERIA ENTERED YOUR BODY, SUCH
AS ON OR INSIDE YOUR MOUTH, GENITALS, OR RECTUM.
ON AVERAGE, THE SORE SHOWS UP AROUND THREE
WEEKS AFTER INFECTION, BUT IT CAN TAKE BETWEEN 10
AND 90 DAYS TO APPEAR. THE SORE REMAINS FOR
ANYWHERE BETWEEN TWO TO SIX WEEKS.
SYPHILIS IS TRANSMITTED BY DIRECT CONTACT WITH A
SORE. THIS USUALLY OCCURS DURING SEXUAL ACTIVITY,
INCLUDING ORAL SEX.

SECONDARY SYPHILIS
DURING THE SECOND STAGE OF SYPHILIS, YOU MAY EXPERIENCE
SKIN RASHES AND A SORE THROAT. THE RASH WONT ITCH AND IS
USUALLY FOUND ON YOUR PALMS AND SOLES, BUT IT MAY OCCUR
ANYWHERE ON THE BODY. SOME PEOPLE DONT NOTICE THE
RASH BEFORE IT GOES AWAY.
OTHER SYMPTOMS OF SECONDARY SYPHILIS MAY INCLUDE:
HEADACHES
SWOLLEN LYMPH GLANDS
FATIGUE
FEVER
WEIGHT LOSS
HAIR LOSS
ACHING JOINTS

THESE SYMPTOMS WILL GO AWAY WHETHER OR

NOT YOU RECEIVE TREATMENT. HOWEVER,
WITHOUT TREATMENT YOULL STILL BE
INFECTED.
SECONDARY SYPHILIS IS OFTEN MISTAKEN FOR
ANOTHER CONDITION.

LATENT SYPHILIS
THE THIRD STAGE OF SYPHILIS IS THE LATENT OR HIDDEN
STAGE. THE PRIMARY AND SECONDARY SYMPTOMS
DISAPPEAR, AND YOU WONT HAVE ANY NOTICEABLE
SYMPTOMS AT THIS STAGE. HOWEVER, YOU WILL STILL BE
INFECTED WITH SYPHILIS. THE SECONDARY SYMPTOMS
CAN REAPPEAR, OR YOU COULD REMAIN IN THIS STAGE
FOR YEARS BEFORE PROGRESSING TO TERTIARY
SYPHILIS.

TERTIARY SYPHILIS
THE LAST STAGE OF INFECTION IS TERTIARY SYPHILIS. APPROXIMATELY
15 TO 30 PERCENT OF PEOPLE WHO DONT RECEIVE TREATMENT FOR SYPHILIS WILL
ENTER THIS STAGE. TERTIARY SYPHILIS CAN OCCUR YEARS OR DECADES AFTER
YOURE INITIALLY INFECTED. TERTIARY SYPHILIS CAN BE LIFE-THREATENING. SOME
OTHER POTENTIAL OUTCOMES OF TERTIARY SYPHILIS INCLUDE:

BLINDNESS

DEAFNESS
MENTAL ILLNESS

MEMORY LOSS

DESTRUCTION OF SOFT TISSUE AND BONE

NEUROLOGICAL DISORDERS, SUCH AS STROKE OR MENINGITIS

HEART DISEASE

NEUROSYPHILIS, WHICH IS AN INFECTION OF THE BRAIN OR SPINAL CORD

ETIOLOGIC AGENT:
TREPONEMA PALLIDUM IS THE CAUSATIVE AGENT OF SYPHILIS.
T. PALLIDUM IS A THIN, ELONGATED (0.10 TO 0.18 UM) BACTERIUM
THAT CANNOT BE READILY VISUALIZED BY LIGHT MICROSCOPY,
INSTEAD REQUIRING VISUALIZATION BY DARKFIELD MICROSCOPY,
WHICH USES OBLIQUELY APPLIED LIGHT.
THE ORGANISM DISPLAYS 6 TO 14 REGULARLY WOUND COILS, HAS
A CHARACTERISTIC CORKSCREW MOTILITY, AND FLEXES
CENTRALLY AT 90-DEGREE ANGLES.
SUSTAINED IN VITRO CULTIVATION OF T. PALLIDUM IS NOT
CURRENTLY POSSIBLE FOR DIAGNOSTIC PURPOSES.
INVESTIGATORS HAVE PROPAGATED T. PALLIDUM IN RABBITS OR
GUINEA PIGS TO PROVIDE ORGANISMS FOR SCIENTIFIC STUDY, TO
EVALUATE NEW ANTIMICROBIAL AGENTS OR CANDIDATE
VACCINES, OR TO DEMONSTRATE THE PRESENCE OF
TREPONEMES IN CLINICAL SPECIMENS.

RESERVOIRS:
HUMANS ARE THE ONLY TYPE OF RESERVOIR FOR T.
PALLIDUM OR SYPHILIS. SYPHILIS CANNOT BE SPREAD BY
A NON-LIVING RESERVOIR, SUCH AS TOILET SEATS,
SWIMMING POOLS, OR EATING UTENSILS.

MODE OF TRANSMISSION:
IN MOST CASES, T. PALLIDUM INFECTION IS ACQUIRED FROM DIRECT
SEXUAL CONTACT WITH AN INDIVIDUAL WHO HAS AN ACTIVE
PRIMARY OR SECONDARY SYPHILITIC LESION.
TRANSMISSION OCCURS IN APPROXIMATELY ONE THIRD OF SUCH
CONTACTS.
LESS COMMONLY THE DISEASE MAY BE SPREAD BY: A) SHARING OF
NEEDLES BY IV DRUG USERS B) BY NON-GENITAL CONTACT WITH A
MUCOSAL LESION (E.G. INFANT CONTACT WITH A MATERNAL
CHANCRE) C) OCCASIONAL CASES RESULT FROM ACCIDENTAL
INOCULATION OF INFECTED MATERIAL. MODERN PRECAUTIONS
HAVE ESSENTIALLY ELIMINATED BLOOD TRANSFUSIONS AS A
SOURCE OF DISEASE D) TRANSPLACENTAL TRANSMISSION

PREVENTION:
PRACTICING SAFE SEX IS ALWAYS A METHOD THAT
CAN BE USED TO HELP PREVENT THE SPREAD OF
SYPHILIS, AS WELL AS ROUTINE BLOOD TESTS TO
CHECK FOR IT ESPECIALLY IF PREGNANT . LASTLY, IF
AN INDIVIDUAL HAS ANY SUSPICION THAT HE OR SHE
MAY HAVE A SEXUALLY TRANSMITTED DISEASE, IT IS
IMPERATIVE THAT THEY SEEK IMMEDIATE MEDICAL
ATTENTION BEFORE POSSIBLY INFECTING ANOTHER
INDIVIDUAL. BECAUSE SYPHILIS-INFECTED
INDIVIDUALS ARE AT HIGHER RISK OF ACQUIRING
AND TRANSMITTING HIV INFECTION, AN INCREDIBLE
IMPACT AND DECREASE IN STD NUMBERS, AS FAR AS
SYPHILIS, CONGENITAL SYPHILIS, AND HIV CASES
WOULD BE MADE IF THE PROPER STEPS WOULD BE

TREATMENT:
PRIMARY AND SECONDARY SYPHILIS ARE EASY TO
TREAT WITH A PENICILLIN INJECTION. PENICILLIN IS ONE
OF THE MOST WIDELY USED ANTIBIOTICS AND IS
USUALLY EFFECTIVE IN TREATING SYPHILIS. PEOPLE
WHO ARE ALLERGIC TO PENICILLIN WILL LIKELY BE
TREATED WITH A DIFFERENT ORAL ANTIBIOTIC, SUCH AS
DOXYCYCLINE, AZITHROMYCIN, OR CEFTRIAXONE.
IF YOU HAVE NEUROSYPHILIS, YOULL GET DAILY DOSES
OF PENICILLIN INTRAVENOUSLY. THIS WILL OFTEN
REQUIRE A BRIEF HOSPITAL STAY. UNFORTUNATELY, THE
DAMAGE CAUSED BY LATE SYPHILIS CANT BE
REVERSED. THE BACTERIA CAN BE KILLED, BUT
TREATMENT WILL MOST LIKELY FOCUS ON EASING PAIN
AND DISCOMFORT.

 DURING YOUR TREATMENT, MAKE SURE TO AVOID

SEXUAL CONTACT UNTIL ALL SORES ON YOUR BODY
ARE HEALED AND YOUR DOCTOR TELLS YOU ITS
SAFE TO RESUME SEX. IF YOURE SEXUALLY ACTIVE,
YOUR PARTNER SHOULD BE TREATED AS WELL. YOU
SHOULDNT RESUME SEXUAL ACTIVITY UNTIL BOTH
OF YOUR TREATMENTS ARE COMPLETE.

REFERENCE:
HTTP://WWW.HEALTHLINE.COM/HEALTH/STD/SYPHILIS
HTTP://WWW.MEDDEAN.LUC.EDU/LUMEN/MEDED/MECH/CASES/CAS
E21/SYPHILIS.HTM
HTTP://WWW.AUSTINCC.EDU/MICROBIO/2421B/TP1.HTM

CHANCROID

DESCRIBE:
CHANCROID (ALSO KNOWN AS SOFT CHANCRE AND
ULCUS MOLLE) IS A BACTERIAL
SEXUALLY TRANSMITTED INFECTION CHARACTERIZED
BY PAINFUL SORES ON THE GENITALIA. CHANCROID IS
KNOWN TO SPREAD FROM ONE INDIVIDUAL TO ANOTHER
SOLELY THROUGH SEXUAL CONTACT.

SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS:

THE FIRST SIGN OF INFECTION IS USUALLY THE
APPEARANCE OF ONE OR MORE SORES OR RAISED
BUMPS ON THE GENITAL ORGANS. SORES ARE
SURROUNDED BY A NARROW RED BORDER WHICH
SOON BECOMES FILLED WITH PUS AND EVENTUALLY
RUPTURES, LEAVING A PAINFUL OPEN SORE.
SYMPTOMS OF CHANCROID. PAINFUL OPEN SORES ON
THE GENITALS AND, IN SOME CASES,SWOLLEN AND
TENDER LYMPH NODES IN THE GROIN. WOMEN MAY BE
LESS LIKELY TO GET THESORES; INSTEAD, THEIR
SYMPTOMS MAY INCLUDE PAINFUL URINATION OR
DEFECATION, PAINFULINTERCOURSE, RECTAL
BLEEDING, OR VAGINAL DISCHARGE.

ETIOLOGIC AGENT:
. HAEMOPHILUS DUCREYI IS THE ETIOLOGIC AGENT OF
CHANCROID. THIS ORGANISM IS SPREAD THROUGH SEXUAL
CONTACT OR BY OTHER DIRECT CONTACT BETWEEN INFECTED
SURFACES. INFECTION RESULTS IN LESIONS THAT RESEMBLE A
SYPHILITIC CHANCRE. LESIONS ARE USUALLY FOUND ON THE
GENITALS. UNLIKE SYPHILITIC CHANCRES, WHICH ARE
GENERALLY PAINLESS, THE LESIONS CAUSED BY H. DUCREYI ARE
PAINFUL. USUALLY EXTREME SWELLING OF LYMPH NODES IN THE
INGUINAL AREA OCCURS. THIS CAN LEAD TO THE RUPTURE OF
THESE NODES. THOUGH NOT COMMON IN THIS COUNTRY, THIS
DISEASE IS ENDEMIC IN MANY AREAS OF THE WORLD. THIS
INFECTION SEEMS TO BE MORE COMMON IN UNCIRCUMCISED
MALES. IN AFRICA THE REGION IN WHICH THIS CONDITION IS
ENDEMIC COINCIDES WITH THE REGION WHERE AIDS IS
EPIDEMIC.

RESERVOIRS:
HUMANS
MODE OF TRANSMISSION:
BY DIRECT SEXUAL CONTACT WITH DISCHARGE FROM
OPEN LESIONS AND PUS FROM BUBOES. AUTOINOCULATION TO NON-GENITAL SITES MAY OCCUR IN
INFECTED PEOPLE. SEXUAL ABUSE MUST BE
CONSIDERED WHEN CHANCROID IS FOUND IN
CHILDREN.

PREVENTION:
AS WITH ALL STDS, PROVISION OF SEX EDUCATION, INCLUDING
DELAY OF INITIATION OF SEXUAL ACTIVITY, ESTABLISHMENT OF A
MUTUALLY MONOGAMOUS RELATIONSHIP, REDUCTION IN
NUMBERS OF SEX PARTNERS, CONSISTENT CONDOM USE, ETC.
PROTECT THE COMMUNITY BY PREVENTING AND TREATING
STDS IN CASES AND CONTACTS, BY DISCOURAGING MULTIPLE
SEX PARTNERS AND ANONYMOUS OR CASUAL SEXUAL ACTIVITY,
AND BY TEACHING METHODS OF PERSONAL PROPHYLAXIS,
ESPECIALLY THE CORRECT AND CONSISTENT USE OF CONDOMS.
INCLUDE INFORMATION ABOUT RISK FOR STDS DURING PRETRAVEL HEALTH COUNSELLING.
DIAGNOSE AND TREAT STDS EARLY; EDUCATE THE PUBLIC
ABOUT SYMPTOMS OF STDS AND MODES OF SPREAD; AND MAKE
STD SERVICES CULTURALLY APPROPRIATE, AND READILY
ACCESSIBLE AND ACCEPTABLE, REGARDLESS OF ECONOMIC
STATUS.

TREATMENT:
ALTHOUGH ANTIBIOTIC SENSITIVITY SHOULD BE
DETERMINED, ONE OF THE FOLLOWING REGIMENS IS
RECOMMENDED: CEFTRIAXONE 250 MG IM IN A SINGLE
DOSE; OR ERYTHROMYCIN 500 MG ORALLY QID FOR 7
DAYS.
ALTERNATIVE REGIMENS THAT ARE EFFECTIVE INCLUDE
AZITHROMYCIN, 1 GRAM ORALLY AS A STAT DOSE, AND
CIPROFLOXACIN (ADULTS ONLY), 500 MG ORALLY AS A
STAT DOSE.
FOLLOW-UP SCHEDULES ARE INDIVIDUALIZED, BUT
SHOULD BE AT NO MORE THAN ONE WEEK INTERVALS
UNTIL THE LESION(S) ARE CLEARLY RESOLVING.
FOLLOW-UP SHOULD CONTINUE UNTIL COMPLETE
RESOLUTION HAS OCCURRED. PATIENTS SHOULD

 REFERENCES:
HTTPS://EN.WIKIPEDIA.ORG/WIKI/CHANCROID
HTTPS://WWW.TRANSLATE.COM/INDONESIAN/C-HAEMOPHILU
S-DUCREYI-IS-THE-ETIOLOGIC-AGENT-OF-CHANCROID-THI
S-ORGANISM-IS-SPREAD-THROUGH-SEXUAL-C/15849167
HTTPS://WWW.GOV.MB.CA/HEALTH/PUBLICHEALTH/CDC/PR
OTOCOL/CHANCROID.PDF