Syphilis is a bacterial sexually transmitted disease (STD) that without treatment, can lead to death. It is caused by a spirochaete bacterium, Treponema pallidum.
Syphilis can spread thru vaginal, anal, or oral sex by contact with an open sore or contact with a skin rash. The bacteria can penetrate the body through the penis, anus, vagina, mouth, or through broken skin. Syphilis can communicate from a pregnant woman to her unborn child, however, the disease cannot spread by contact with toilet seats, doorknobs, swimming pools, hot tubs, bathtubs, shared clothing, or eating utensils.
Syphilis develops in stages and its symptoms are different at each stage. The primary stage syphilis symptoms include appearance of single, painless sore, called a chancre (shan-ker), on the vulva, vagina, cervix, tongue, lips, or other parts of the body, including inside the body.
Secondary stage symptoms include skin rash with rough, red or reddish-brown spots both on the palms of the hands and bottoms of the feet. The rashes with a different appearance, which usually do not itch Rashes, may occur on other parts of the body. Sores on the throat, mouth, or cervix, fever, swollen lymph glands, patchy hair loss on the head and other parts of the body, headaches and muscle aches, weight loss and tiredness.
Some people suffer damage to the brain, nerves, eyes, heart, blood vessels, liver, bones, and joints in the late stage of syphilis. Syphilis complications may include small bumps or tumors on organs, blindness, insanity, or paralysis. The disease can be treated with penicillin or other antibiotics.