Syphilis (syphilis): symptoms, causes, and treatment

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Syphilis

Syphilis (sometimes spelled syphilis) is a sexually transmitted disease / infection (STI) caused by bacteria that can infect the skin, mouth, genitals, and nervous system.

This disease is also called the lion king.

Syphilis usually starts with painless sores on the genitals, rectum, or mouth.

Syphilis or lion king disease is transmitted from person to person through skin or mucous membrane (mucosal) contact with a wound.

After the initial infection, the bacteria that cause lion king disease can remain and remain dormant in the body for decades until they become active again.

If detected early, the lion king's disease will be easier to cure and will not cause permanent damage.

However, untreated lion kings can cause serious damage to the brain or nervous system as well as other organs, including the heart.

This condition can certainly be life threatening.

Not only from person-to-person contact, the King Lion disease can also be transmitted from infected pregnant women to the fetus in the womb.

How common is the lion king?

The number of people with syphilis, aka the king of lions, has decreased in women since 2010.

Even so, not with men, this disease still targets men, especially those who have sexual relations with the same sex.

Symptoms of syphilis

Syphilis can develop in several stages and the symptoms that appear depend on that stage.

However, these stages may coincide with the appearance of symptoms that are not always sequential.

That is why, you may be infected with syphilis and have no symptoms for years.

Some of the stages of syphilis are as follows:

• Primary
• Secondary
• Latent or hidden
• Tertiary

The most contagious disease of syphilis is in the first 2 stages.

When in a latent or hidden stage, the lion king's disease remains active but without symptoms.

Meanwhile, tertiary is the stage that most damages the health of your body.

The stages of syphilis

The following is a complete explanation of the stages of syphilis or the lion king:

1. Primary syphilis

A person with primary syphilis generally has sores at the site of the initial infection.

These sores are usually around the genitals, around the anus, or in the mouth.

These sores are usually round in shape and are named chancre .

Symptoms of the lion king will appear 2-4 days after infection occurs, incl chancre, that is, when bacteria enter the body.

This type of syphilis is often felt on the genitals, but can also be seen in the mouth or rectum if both parts are involved in sexual activity.

Generally, these symptoms will resolve on their own within 1-5 weeks.

2. Secondary syphilis

Within a few weeks after healing chancre In the real case, you may experience a rash all over the body, including the palms of the hands and feet.

This rash is usually not itchy and may be accompanied by the appearance of warts on your mouth or genital area.

Some people with secondary syphilis also experience hair loss, muscle pain, fever, sore throat, and swollen lymph nodes.

Like the first (primary) stage, the above symptoms can go away on their own.

However, the Mayo Clinic says these signs and symptoms can come back many times and disappear for one year.

Some sufferers who are already in stage two or three may not show any symptoms of syphilis.

3. Latent syphilis

Latent syphilis occurs between the second (secondary) and the third (tertiary) stages.

In the latent stage, you do not experience any symptoms of this lion king disease.

This latent stage can last for years.

Signs and symptoms may never return or develop into the fourth stage, tertiary syphilis.

4. Tertiary syphilis

About 15-30% of people who are infected with syphilis but not treated may be at risk of developing a complication known as tertiary syphilis.

Stage 4 of syphilis symptoms appear 10-40 years after the initial infection.

In this stage, syphilis will damage the brain, nerves, eyes, heart, bloodstream, liver, bones and muscles.

Types of syphilis based on symptoms

Apart from the four stages mentioned above, there are 2 types of syphilis which are grouped based on the symptoms that appear, namely:

1. Neurosyphilis

At any stage, the lion king's disease can spread and cause damage.

One of the possible damage is damage to the brain and nervous system (neurosyphilis) and eyes (ocular syphilis).

2. Congenital syphilis

Babies born to mothers with syphilis can become infected through the placenta or during the birth process.

Most newborns with congenital syphilis don't experience any symptoms.

However, some babies can develop rashes on the palms and soles of the feet.

Other signs and symptoms of syphilis in babies may include deafness and tooth deformities.

Babies who have a congenital lion king can also be born too early (prematurely), stillbirth, or die after birth.

There may be some signs or symptoms not listed above.

If you have concerns about a particular symptom, please consult your doctor.

When should I see a doctor?

Tell your doctor right away if you or your child has unusual discharge, feels pain or develops a rash, especially if it occurs in the groin area.

Causes of syphilis

The bacteria that can cause syphilis are Treponema pallidum .

Infection usually occurs due to sexual contact.

The bacteria enter the body through gaps or wounds in the skin or mucous membranes after coming into contact with a person who is infected with syphilis.

This disease is not transmitted through the use of public toilets, baths, clothing, cutlery, door handles, swimming pools and hot springs.

Syphilis is contagious during the primary and secondary stages.

However, sometimes this lion king disease can also be contagious in the early latent period.

Risk factors for syphilis

Individuals who have HIV are more susceptible to transmission and spread of syphilis.

Once you have syphilis, it doesn't mean that you will be immune to similar infections.

You may be infected again at a later date. Syphilis transmission can also occur from pregnant women to their fetuses (congenital or congenital syphilis).

In addition, not living the principles of safe sex can also put you at risk for syphilis, such as:

• Don't use condoms.
• Multiple sex partners.
• Having same-sex sex.

Complications of syphilis

If left untreated, syphilis can damage your health, and it can even increase your risk of becoming infected with HIV.

Meanwhile, for women, syphilis can cause pregnancy complications.

Syphilis treatment can help prevent damage to your body in the future.

However, the treatment of the lion king's disease cannot repair or reverse the damage that has been done.

The complications that may occur in people with syphilis are as follows:

1. A small lump or tumor

Small lumps or tumors called gummas can develop on the skin, bones, liver, or other organs in the late stages of syphilis.

Gumma usually goes away after treatment with antibiotics.

2. Nerve problems

Syphilis can cause several problems with your nervous system, including:

• Headache
• Stroke
• Meningitis
• Hearing loss
• Visible problems, including blindness
• Dementia
• Sexual dysfunction in men (impotence)
• Bladder incontinence

3. Cardiovascular problems

Problems resulting from syphilis may include protrusions (aneurysms) and inflammation of the aorta.

The aorta is the main artery in the body. Syphilis can also damage heart valves.

4. HIV infection

Adults with syphilis who are sexually transmitted are estimated to have 2-5 times the risk of acquiring HIV.

Syphilis sores bleed easily, allowing the HIV virus to enter your bloodstream during sexual activity.

If someone with HIV also has syphilis, the spread of the virus will increase, even if they are HIV drugs (antiretroviral drugs).

Discuss with your doctor how syphilis treatment relates to HIV treatment.

5. Complications of pregnancy and childbirth

If you are pregnant, you may pass syphilis to your unborn baby.

Congenital syphilis increases the risk of miscarriage, stillbirth, or infant death after a few days after birth.

Diagnosis of syphilis

The doctor can make a diagnosis based on the patient's medical history and body examination with regard to the sex organs, mouth and anus.

If there are even the slightest signs of this sexually transmitted disease, the doctor may perform an examination.

The examination procedure is carried out by taking a small piece of tissue or fluid from the disease.

Furthermore, further examination is carried out using a dark-field microscope to determine the type of bacteria.

A blood test (known as a VDRL) may also be done.

This test is useful for determining whether there are antibodies (a substance produced by the immune system to fight infection from the Treponema pallidum bacteria) in the blood.

Your doctor may also perform tests on your sexual partners, such as:

• Primary syphilis: partner since three months ago.
• Secondary syphilis: partner since six months ago.
• Latent syphilis: partner since last year (because there may be chancre previously undetected).

Syphilis treatment

Treatment depends on the stage of syphilis or the lion king.

Once diagnosed at an early stage, treatment for syphilis tends to be easier.

Your syphilis treatment strategy will depend on your symptoms and how long the bacteria have been in your body.

It is important to remember that treatments for syphilis do not make your body immune.

This means that you can still suffer from this disease more than once.

If your test is positive, your partner should also be examined and treated.

If treated late, the problems caused by syphilis tend to be difficult to treat.

The bacteria can be killed, but treatment will most likely focus on relieving pain and discomfort.

Drugs

If you are diagnosed with primary, secondary, or early-stage latent syphilis (less than one year), the recommended treatment is a single penicillin injection.

If you have had syphilis for more than a year, you may need an additional dose.

Penicillin is the only recommended drug for pregnant women.

Women who are allergic to penicillin can undergo a desensitization process to make it possible to receive penicillin injections.

If you were treated for syphilis during pregnancy, your newborn should also be tested to find out the possibility of congenital syphilis.

If the baby is declared infected, he will receive treatment in the form of antibiotics.

On the first day of receiving syphilis treatment, you may experience a Jarisch-Herxheimer reaction.

Symptoms of the reaction include fever, chills, nausea, aches, and headaches.

This reaction usually doesn't last for more than a day.

Follow-up treatment

After you take syphilis treatment, your doctor will ask you to do several things, such as:

• Have periodic blood tests and checks to make sure you are responding to your usual penicillin dose. Your specific follow-up will depend on the stage of syphilis your doctor diagnoses.
• Avoid sexual contact with new partners until treatment is completed and blood tests indicate that the infection has been treated.
• Remind your sex partner to be examined and treated if necessary.
• Get tested for HIV infection.

If you have sex with a person who is infected with syphilis. symptoms may not be obvious.

This is because syphilis sores are hidden around the vagina, anus, under the foreskin of the penis, or the mouth.

Meanwhile, if you know that your sex partner is declared to have syphilis and are given treatment, you also have the risk of getting syphilis.

Home treatment for syphilis

Lifestyle and home remedies that can help treat syphilis include the following:

• Don't stop taking your medication or change your dose just because you feel better, unless your doctor recommends you.
• Tell your doctor if you are pregnant because the transmission of syphilis to the fetus is very dangerous.
• Tell your doctor if you have any allergies to medications, especially penicillin.
• Wash your hands frequently to avoid spreading the infection.
• Practice safe sexual activity using a condom.
• Tell your sex partner if you are being treated for syphilis so they can also get a medical examination.
• Try to abstain from sexual activity for at least 2 weeks after treatment or until a doctor has cleared it.
• Get checked out immediately when experiencing other sexually transmitted diseases (STDs).

If you are at risk for this lion king disease, the best step is to avoid sexual intercourse and consult a doctor immediately.

If you engaged in sexual activity before seeing your doctor, be sure to practice safe sex, such as using a condom.

Please consult your doctor if you have further questions regarding your condition.