by Sarah Kipling

Created on: July 10, 2008   Last Updated: July 16, 2008

Like all STIs, syphilis doesn't always display symptoms and, when it does, they may go unnoticed. Additionally, because of the social stigma attached to STIs, many wrongly assume they are immune because they aren't promiscuous; contrary to popular belief, anyone having unprotected sex is at risk.
Symptoms follow a three-stage template:
Stage 1: Manifests 2 4 weeks after sexual contact with an infected person. Involves swollen lymph glands and pea-sized pimples/lesions at the point of sexual contact (e.g. the penis, inside the vagina or rectum) that collapse into ulcers. These may remain overlooked especially in women - because symptoms are painless. Also, in-between stages, symptoms disappear. Stage 1 heals in 2 4 weeks.

Stage 2: A non-itchy, highly contagious rash appears on the body and mouth that may change continually. Swollen lymph glands, fever and headache are other common symptoms. Occurs around 12 months after the first stage and disappears after 1 or 2 weeks.

Stage 3: May not manifest in 1 - 30 years, during which the disease becomes active again, possibly attacking the joints, heart, brain and nervous system.

If you have any unexplained pimples/lesions/ulcers at any points of sexual contact, or unexplained rashes, refrain from any sexual activity and see a doctor right away. Expect blood tests; the Rapid Plasma Reagin (RPR) tests for syphilis-indicatory antibodies in the blood. While effective, this may suggest false positives' (an incorrect positive result). To validate, a further test should be carried out.
If discovered early, one dose of penicillin G, an antibiotic in tablet or injection-form, should suffice. If discovered late, penicillin should be used in weekly doses for 3 weeks. If pregnant, penicillin may still effectively be used after desensitisation (allowing the body to become accustomed to the antibiotic), with subsequent check-ups.
If you are allergic to penicillin, you may be given alternatives such as oral tetracycline or doxycycline.
All diagnosed with syphilis should be tested for HIV. If you are diagnosed with neurosyphilis (affecting the nervous system), this may be indicative of HIV infection.
If you are worried that you might have syphilis or another STI, or would just like to have a check-up, it's important that you find your nearest clinic and ask for sexual health or STI testing (see http://www.condomessentialwear.co.uk/get-help to find your nearest clinic). To talk to a sexual health advisor anonymously, call the Sexual Health Line at any time free on 0800 567 123.

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