STD, HIV, AND TB SECTION Syphilis and Women What is syphilis? Secondary Stage Syphilis is a sexually transmitted disease (STD). Syphilis can cause long term ▪ This stage typically starts with a rash on complications if not treated early and one or more areas of the body. It can look correctly. Syphilis is divided into stages, like rough, red, or reddish brown spots on primary, secondary and latent and late. the palms of the hands and/or the bottoms of the feet. The rash may be so faint that it will go unnoticed. How is syphilis spread? ▪ Other symptoms can include fever, Syphilis is spread by direct contact with a swollen lymph glands, sore throat, wart syphilis sore during vaginal, oral, or anal sex. like lesions, condyloma lata, may develop Syphilis can also be passed from an infected in warm moist areas, patchy hair loss, woman to her unborn baby. Sores can be headaches, weight loss, muscle aches, and found on the penis, vagina, anus, rectum, lips, fatigue or feeling very tired. or in the mouth. ▪ The symptoms will go away with or without treatment. Without the correct What are the signs and treatment, syphilis remains in the body and the infection will move to the latent symptoms of syphilis? and possibly late stages of syphilis. Syphilis symptoms in adults are divided into stages. Latent and Late Stages ▪ In latency symptoms have gone away, but Primary Stage the syphilis bacteria is still in the body if ▪ Symptoms begin between 10 to 90 days, the correct treatment is not received. an average of 21 days, after exposure. ▪ Symptoms of the late stage of syphilis ▪ Painless, open sore(s) on the mouth, include difficulty coordinating muscle genitals, or anus. The sore(s) occurs at the movements, paralysis or not being able to location where syphilis entered the body. move certain parts of the body, numbness, blindness, hearing loss and ▪ The sore(s) can be painless, making them dementia. difficult to find in the vagina or rectum. They usually last 3 to 6 weeks with or ▪ Late stages of syphilis can result in death without treatment. due to the damage syphilis causes to internal organs. ▪ Correct treatment is required or the syphilis remains in the body. Treatment will prevent infection from moving to the second stage.

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How will my doctor know if I How do I prevent getting have syphilis? syphilis? Most of the time your doctor can use a blood ▪ The only way to avoid getting syphilis is to test to determine if you have syphilis. Some not have vaginal, anal, or oral sex. doctors do a lumbar puncture test for syphilis ▪ If you are sexually active you can reduce that may have progressed into the brain or your chances of getting syphilis by: spinal column. ▪ Being in a long term committed relationship with only one partner What are the complications of who has been tested and has negative syphilis? STD test results. If not treated early and correctly, syphilis can: ▪ Using latex condoms the right way every time you have sex. ▪ Be spread to sex partners. ▪ Washing your genitals, urinating, or ▪ Cause difficulty coordinating your muscle douching after sex will not protect you. movements, paralysis, numbness, blindness, and dementia (a steady loss of ▪ Having syphilis once does not protect you mental ability severe enough to interfere from getting it again. Once you have been with daily living including hearing and successfully treated, you can be re- memory loss). infected. ▪ Cause heart disease and damage internal organs. Get tested and treated ▪ Cause death. ▪ Get tested from a medical provider if you think you are infected. What if I am pregnant? ▪ If you are infected, get treatment from your medical provider and follow Untreated syphilis during pregnancy can give instructions for treatment; syphilis can be your baby the infection and cause: cured. ▪ Premature birth (your baby being born ▪ Your partner(s) should be tested and too early) or stillborn birth (a baby being treated at the same time. born dead). ▪ Health problems like cataracts, deafness, seizures, or death. Minnesota Department of Health STD, HIV, and TB Section ▪ Severe damage to bones, brain, lungs, 651-201-5414 liver, and other organs. www.health.state.mn.us/std To obtain this information in a different format, call: 651-201-5414

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