Syphilis Disease

Syphilis: The Big Sore Loser Syphilis is a sexually transmitted disease that has been around for many centuries. No one is certain when or where syphilis began. One theory is that the bacteria was carried to Europe from America by Christopher Columbus’s sailors. Syphilis was discovered by Fritz Schaudinn and Erich Hoffmann in 1905. Syphilis is also called “lues,” which means the “plague” in Latin. It used to be treated with dangerous drugs and remedies until after World War II when penicillin began to be used for treatment. If syphilis is not treated, it can cause death or serious health problems. There are almost fifty million new cases of syphilis each year worldwide. The number of cases occurring each year in the United States has almost …show more content…
However, the symptoms of syphilis may not appear for awhile. In addition, the symptoms may not be associated with the disease: “Syphilis has been called the ‘the great imitator’ because it has so many possible symptoms, many of which look like symptoms from other diseases” (“Syphilis”2). The symptoms of syphilis are grouped according to the stages of the disease: primary, secondary, latent, tertiary (“Syphilis” 1). The disease is considered in the primary stage during the first six weeks of infection (“Syphilis”2). One or more sores may be present where the bacteria entered the body (“Syphilis” 2). They are small, painless, round, blister-like in appearance and they usually last from three to six weeks (“Syphilis”). The disease is considered in the secondary stage from six weeks to one year after being infected (Frey 4). During this stage a rough, red rash on the palms or soles of the feet may develop along with contagious sores in the mouth, vagina, and anus (“Syphilis”3). Condylomata lata, gray or pink patches on moist skin, may appear (Frey 3). Fever, swollen lymph glands, sore throat, headaches, muscle aches, and fatigue are other symptoms during the secondary stage (“Syphilis”3). The latent stage is divided into early latency, less than two years after infection, in which rashes and sores can come back and late latency, after two years of infection, in which …show more content…
Since the discovery of penicillin, syphilis is fairly easy to cure. If treatment is begun in the early stage of syphilis usually only one dose of antibiotic is needed (Aldridge 806). More than one dose may be required if the infection is in a later stage (Aldridge 806). The antibiotics, doxycycline, minocycline, tetracycline, and azithromycin, can be taken in a pill (Frey 7). The antibiotics, benzathine penicillin G and ceftriaxone, may be given through an injection (Frey &). Pregnant women are treated as soon as possible with the antibiotic, tetracycline ( Frey 7). Infants and newborns that have been tested for syphilis or who the doctors think may have congenital syphilis are given the antibiotic, aqueous crystalline penicillin G or aqueous procaine penicillin G (Frey 7). People being treated with antibiotics for syphilis should also eat well, get enough sleep, and exercise in order to get well more quickly (Frey 8). The sores and rashes of infected people should be kept clean and dry, and any discharge from the sores should not be allowed to come into contact with other people (Frey 8). It is very important in controlling the spread of syphilis to find and treat all sexual partners as soon as possible (Aldridge 806). In order to decrease the chance of becoming infected, “Sexual abstinence, or having monogamous sexual contact with a partner known not to be