The incidence of congenital syphilis has also increased in recent years. This can result in serious and significant health issues for the baby, including death of the unborn baby. These initial sores cause no pain and are often located in hidden areas, so people can transmit syphilis without knowing they have it.Ĭongenital syphilis occurs when a pregnant mother with syphilis passes on the infection to her baby.
#GONORRHEA SYMPTOMS RASH SKIN#
If it touches someone else's broken skin or a mucous membrane (such as the inside of the vagina), it's likely to create a new sore – passing on the infection. That sore slowly leaks a clear liquid, which contains many syphilis bacteria. Syphilis produces a painless ulcer on the body part that's come into contact with an infected person. It can be transmitted by all forms of sexual contact, including oral and anal sex, and potentially even by kissing. In the vast majority of cases, syphilis is transmitted by sexual contact. Similar to other sexually transmitted infections, infection with syphilis can increase the risk of becoming infected with or transmitting HIV infection. Over recent years the rates of syphilis in Canada have increased in both men and women, but moreso in males. This medical condition is much rarer today due to the widespread use of antibiotics. There was no treatment for syphilis until 1945, when penicillin was developed. It spread throughout Europe and became a condition associated with sex, and since Venus was considered the "goddess of love," it became known as venereal disease (VD – venereal is an adjective formed from Venus). It is believed that it was introduced into Europe from the Americas by the early Spanish explorers. Syphilis used to be a leading cause of death and disability. Blood tests for syphilis in either group of people will be positive. This means there are two distinct groups of people with syphilis – those who are infectious but may recover spontaneously, and those who aren't infectious but won't get better without treatment. It may also come back as a chronic, non-contagious medical condition. It may reemerge a short while later, only to appear to go away again. Syphilis first appears as an acute infectious disease that then appears to go away on its own. Between these stages are latent periods: periods that are symptom-free. There are 3 stages of syphilis during which symptoms appear however, not everyone will go through all 3 stages. The disease has many clinical appearances that are often grouped into stages, depending on when they occur. Syphilis is primarily a sexually transmitted infection (STI) caused by Treponema pallidum bacteria.