What is syphilis?
In Denmark, mostly men are infected and especially men who have sex with men.
Pregnant women are offered screening for syphilis because of the risk it can have for the child.
How is syphilis transmitted?
Syphilis is transmitted through intercourse in the vagina, rectum and through oral sex.
Pregnant women with syphilis transmit the infection to the fetus through the placenta after 10 weeks of pregnancy.
Condoms and dental dams partially protect against infection.
Syphilis is contagious in two years after you have been infected, unless you receive treatment for the infection.
What are the symptoms of syphilis?
Syphilis appears in four stages and the stages have an impact on the symptoms you may experience. It usually takes 3 weeks from when you become infected until the first symptom appears.
First stage: Between 10-90 days after infection, syphilis can produce a small, smooth, shiny sore that is not tender and can therefore be difficult to detect if, for example, sitting up in the vagina. Swelling of the lymph nodes may occur around the wound. The wound typically disappears within 3-6 weeks and may leave a whitish scar.
Second stage: Approximately 6-8 weeks after infection, symptoms such as rashes on the body and flu symptoms may appear.
The latent (hidden) stage: The stage is characterized by the fact that you have no signs of illness. Without treatment, up to 2/3 of those infected can remain in this phase for life. After two years, you can no longer sexually transmit the disease.
Third stage: In this stage, life-threatening symptoms such as e.g. inflammation of the central nervous system and paralysis occur. The third stage typically occurs 5-20 years after infection. 1/3 of those infected will develop syphilis in the third stage if they do not receive treatment.
How is syphilis tested and treated?
The test is often a blood test. A blood test can be done approximately 5 weeks after suspected infection. If there are visible symptoms, the infection can be confirmed by examining wound secretions under a microscope or by sending scrapings from rashes or wounds for laboratory examination.
The treatment depends on the stage of the disease the infected person is in, but typically consists of injecting antibiotics. Syphilis is relatively easy to cure. After treatment, the results must be followed up with blood tests after 3, 6 and 12 months, possibly also after 24 months.
All those infected with syphilis, who got infected within the previous two years, should refrain from sex until the antibiotic treatment has been completed, i.e. three weeks after injection.
If you are infected with syphilis, it is also relevant to check for infection with other sexually transmitted diseases. In particular, it should be examined for infection with HIV.
What are the consequences of syphilis?
If you become infected with syphilis and are not treated, it can have serious consequences:
- You can develop chronic inflammations in the body, such as in the brain and in your nervous system
- You can die from the disease
- You can infect your child at birth, and later this can cause great damage to the child