SYPHILIS: the great imitator

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One of the dangers of having premarital sex—other than unexpected pregnancies—is sexual transmitted diseases. Syphilis is a sexually transmitted disease caused by the bacterium Treponema pallidum. This disease can be transmitted through sexual contact but it can also be transmitted from a mother to a fetus during pregnancy or at birth, the result is what is called congenital syphilis. It has often been called “the great imitator” because so many of the signs and symptoms of Syphilis are indistinguishable from those of other diseases. This disease has four distinct stages: primary, secondary, latent and tertiary

The primary stage is characterized by the formation of single skin lesion called a chancre, which appears at the point of contact about ten to ninety days after the initial exposure. This chancre is usually small, round, painless, firm and hard as a result of intense cellular infiltration accompanied by serum accumulation in connective tissue. The infection can be transmitted through contact with the ulcer, which teems with spirochetes. Condoms may not prevent transmission of the infection by contact if the ulcer is outside of the vagina or on the male’s scrotum. If the ulcer is in the mouth, the infection can be spread from individual to individual by kissing. The ulcer can heal without treatments within one to five weeks, but if the primary stage is not treated the disease can recur months later as secondary syphilis.

Secondary syphilis occurs between six weeks to six months after the primary infection and it can last two to six weeks. This stage occurs when the syphilis-causing bacteria enters the bloodstream from the lesion. It is manifested with parenchymal, systemic, and mucocutaneous symptoms that indicate trepo...

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...e our life and sometimes be the end of it.

Works Cited

Conrad Stöppler, MD, Melissa. "Syphilis In Women Symptoms, Causes, Treatment - What Is Syphilis on MedicineNet." Syphilis In Women. Web. 28 Nov. 2011. .

Grimes, Deanna E. Infectious Diseases. St. Louis, MO: Mosby-Year Book, 1991. Print.

Pao, D., B.T. Goh, and J.S. Bingham. "Management Issues In Syphilis." Drugs 62.10 (2002): 1447-1461. SPORTDiscus. Web. 29 Nov. 2011.

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"Syphilis Symptoms, Causes, and Diagnosis." WebMD - Better Information. Better Health. 12 Mar. 2010. Web. 28 Nov. 2011. .

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