Syphilis, a sexually transmitted disease has been identified as the Great Imitator, reason being most of its symptoms seem like something else, therefore, it is very common that many people are often misdiagnosed! Before the rise of HIV, syphilis was regarded as the worst sexually transmitted disease.

Syphilis is caused by the Treponema pallidum bacterium. It is usually contracted through sexual contact with an existing syphilis sore, and there are also possibilities of a congenital infection in case of a pregnant mother passes the disease to her unborn child. Syphilis sores normally appear on the genitals, anus, or inside the rectum. Apart, they can also appear on the mouth.

Symptoms and complications of syphilis

The main complication with syphilis is that an infected person may display no symptoms for many years, and remain at risk of harm. It is identified as a long term illness, that progresses through stages. Symptoms of syphilis may vary from person to person, depending on the stage in the life cycle of the bacterium

Stages of syphilis

• Primary stage: At this stage, syphilis symptoms are generally marked by the development of one or more sores on the genital areas or on mouth. The sores may appear as early as 10 days following infection, or as late as 90 days. However, in most cases. They are appear at around 3 weeks from infection. The sores are small, round, solid, and painless in nature and appear at the point of infection. They usually remain for 3-6 weeks, and they heal on their own after that. But, healing of sores does not mean the elimination of the syphilis bacterium.
• Secondary stage: At second stage, the syphilis symptoms is marked for its skin rashes and mucous membrane lesions. The rash usually appears as rough, red, or reddish brown spots, but are not itchy. Some more symptoms at this stage include fatigue, fever, hair loss, headaches, muscle ache, swollen lymph nodes, sore throat, and weight loss. Like the primary stage symptoms, these symptoms are also likely to disappear on their own, but this does not mean the syphilis has gone away.

Patients with syphilis find it hard to get rid of the disease without seeking proper treatment. Syphilis can further result in damage of the bones, brain, eyes, heart, nervous system, blood vessels, and liver. Symptoms of this degeneration may be the loss of muscle coordination, numbness, gradual blindness, dementia, and paralysis. Remember, late syphilis proves to be deadly!