What is Syphilis?
Syphilis is a bacterial infection that is usually caught by having sex with someone who already has the infection. It is important to get tested and treated for syphilis as soon as possible if you think you may be infected, as it can cause serious problems if left untreated.
Syphilis is usually cured with a short course of antibiotics.
You can catch syphilis more than once, even if you have been treated for it before.
How is it Transmitted?
The most common way of people in the UK getting syphilis is through unprotected sex.
Syphilis is mainly spread through close contact with an infected sore. This usually happens during sex or sexual contact with someone who is infected. This includes vaginal, anal or oral sex and sharing sex toys with someone who is infected.
Pregnant women with syphilis can pass the infection onto their unborn baby.
It is also possible to get syphilis by sharing drug injecting equipment with someone who is infected.
It is not passed through spit, kissing, bites, sneezes, unbroken skin, sharing towels, sharing cutlery or using the same toilet.
What are the Symptoms of Syphilis?
Symptoms of syphilis are often mild and difficult to recognise, and you may pass on the infection without knowing that you have it. Symptoms tend to change over time and may come and go. Symptoms are similar for both men and women.
Early symptoms of syphilis usually begin around two to three weeks after exposure to the infection.
This stage of infection is know as “Primary Syphilis”.
The main symptom is is a small, painless sore or ulcer called and chancre. These are sometimes unnoticeable.
The sore will typically be on the penis, vagina, or around the anus. Although, it can sometimes appear in the mouth, on the lips, fingers or buttocks.
Most people only have one sore, but some people have several.
You may also have swollen glands in your neck, groin, or armpits.
Symptoms usually pass within two to eight weeks. However, leaving syphilis untreated will result in the infection progressing to the next stage.
The next stage of infection is known as “Secondary Syphilis”.
These symptoms will usually develop a few weeks after the initial symptoms have passed.
Symptoms of secondary syphilis include:
A blotchy red rash that can appear anywhere on the body, but usually it develops on the palms of the hands or soles of the feet.
Small skin growths similar to genital warts- these usually appear on the vulva for women, or around the anus for both men and women.
White patches in the mouth.
Flu-like symptoms, such as headache, fever and joint pain.
Swollen glands.
Patchy hair loss.
These symptoms usually pass within a few weeks, although they may come and go over the next few months. You will still be infected even if symptoms disappear. This is known as “latent syphilis” and can last for decades. If left untreated it can lead to serious health problems. It is still possible to pass the infection on to others during this time.
The next stage of infection is know as “Tertiary Syphilis”. During this stage, it spreads to parts of the body such as the brain and nerves and can cause life-threatening problems.
People with tertiary syphilis may experience:
Meningitis
Strokes
Dementia symptoms
Loss of co-ordination
Numbness
Vision problems or blindness
Heart problems
Syphilis is still treatable at this stage, but it is not always possible to reverse some of the damage that has already been done.
Syphilis Testing
The only way to find out if you have syphilis is to have a syphilis test. Anyone who thinks they could have syphilis should get tested.
We provide syphilis testing free of charge to anyone living in the Dudley Borough.
We use point of care tests using a small spot of blood from your finger. Results are available within 60 seconds.
It is recommended that you are tested every three months if you are having unprotected sex with new or casual partners or if you share needles, syringes or other injecting equipment.
What is the Treatment for Syphilis?
Syphilis is usually treated with a short course of antibiotics. These are only available on prescription so you will need to be tested for syphilis to receive them.
The type of treatment you need will depend on how long you’ve had syphilis.
A syphilis infection that has lasted less than two years can usually be treated with an injection of penicillin, or a 10-14 day course of antibiotics.
A syphilis infection that has lasted more than two years, is usually treated with three penicillin injections given at weekly intervals, or a 28 day course of antibiotics.
More serious cases that affect the brain will be treated with daily penicillin injections or a 28 day course of antibiotics.
Follow up blood tests are recommended to check if it the treatment has worked.
Some people may experience side effects while taking treatment, such as flu-like symptoms. There is also risk of an allergic reaction.
You must avoid any type of sexual activity while on treatment and until at least two weeks after treatment finishes, otherwise, you could become infected again, or pass the infection on to someone else.
Previous and current sexual partners should be informed that they may have caught syphilis. You can either notify them yourself, or ask for support from the clinic where you received your test. If the clinic notify them, they will keep your information private and confidential.