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Medical Video: Straight Talk about Sexually Transmitted Diseases - Leena Nathan, MD | #UCLAMDChat Webinar
Syphilis is a contagious venereal disease caused by infection with the Treponema pallidum bacterium. Just like other sexually transmitted diseases, syphilis can spread through various types of sexual contact, such as when kissing.
Syphilis, also known as king lion disease, can also spread from infected mothers to the fetus in the womb or to the baby at birth. Syphilis congenital from mother to child can increase the risk of miscarriage, stillbirth, or infant death within a few days after birth.
Syphilis can be easily treated, especially if detected early. Therefore, it is very important to be able to recognize the symptoms of syphilis in women early so that you can get medical help as soon as possible. After recovery, syphilis cannot repeat itself. But, you can get infected again if you have sexual contact with someone who has syphilis.
Syphilis develops gradually, and the symptoms vary at each stage. Symptoms between stages may also overlap with each other, and symptoms do not always occur in the same order. You might be infected with King Singat and not be aware of any symptoms for years.
Syphilis symptoms in women in the first stage
Reddish thrush (Chancre)
Small reddish thrush that is not painful to the labia (outer lips) and inside the vagina, rectum (anal opening), or inside the mouth is the earliest suspicion of syphilis. This thrush is called chancre. Chancre can develop from 10 to 90 days after the initial infection, with an average time of 21 days after infection until the first symptoms develop.
Sprue is often missed by syphilis sufferers immediately, especially if canker sores arise in the cervix or in the vaginal opening. Swollen lymph nodes can occur near the chancre area.
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Chancre usually lasts for 3 to 6 weeks, can heal on its own without treatment, and can leave a thin scar. But even though the chancre has healed, traces of syphilis are still present in the body and you can still transmit the infection to others. Syphilis is transmitted through direct contact with canker sores during sexual activity, including oral sex.
Symptoms of syphilis in women in the secondary stage
A reddish rash develops on the skin
Secondary symptoms of syphilis are characterized by a reddish rash on the skin that appears 2 to 12 weeks after the chancre develops and sometimes before being completely cured. The rash usually consists of flat or slightly raised skin lesions that are reddish brown, small (less than 2 cm), and feel dense, arising throughout the body, often arising in the palms of the hands and / or feet. The rash may look like other common skin problems.
In addition to a rash, small open wounds such as moist warts that may contain pus may appear in the mucous membranes, such as in the mouth or vagina. In people with dark skin, the wound may have a younger color than the surrounding skin. These skin rashes and warts are very contagious. Skin rashes usually heal within 2 months on their own without scarring. After healing, skin discoloration can occur. But even though the skin rash has healed, the trail of syphilis is still there and you can still transmit the infection to others.
Other symptoms can also occur, which means that the infection has spread throughout the body, for example:
- Mild fever less than 38ºC
- Sore throat
- Vague body fatigue or discomfort
- Weight loss
- Hair loss in several parts, especially in the eyebrows, eyelashes, and hair at the top of the head
- Swollen lymph nodes
- Symptoms of nervous system disorders, such as stiff neck, headache, irritability, paralysis (paralysis), unequal reflexes, and irregular pupil size
- White patches on the nose, mouth and vagina
- Joint pain
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These symptoms will disappear on their own regardless of whether you receive treatment or not. However, without treatment you will still be infected. Someone will be very contagious during this secondary stage.
Syphilis symptoms in women in the third stage (latent)
There were no visible physical symptoms other than internal organ damage
If left untreated, the infection will continue to the latent stage. The latent stage is defined as one year after a person is infected. After the secondary rash is gone, the person will not have symptoms for some time. The latent period may be as short as 1 year or range from 5 to 20 years.
Symptoms of syphilis in the third stage are characterized by damage to a number of organ systems and can even be fatal. Tertiary syphilis can cause brain damage (causing strokes, mental confusion, meningitis), nerves, eyes, heart, blood vessels, liver, bones, and joints. Symptoms that can be produced in the final stages of syphilis include problems with movement, gradual loss of vision, dementia, paralysis, and numbness. Neurosyphilis is a term used to describe central nervous system damage and changes in neurological function. Death can occur as a complication of organ damage.
Often during this stage, an accurate diagnosis can only be made through blood tests, personal medical history, or the birth of a child with congenital syphilis. A person may spread during a latent period even though there are no symptoms present.
Symptoms of syphilis in women in the late stages (recurrence)
About 20 to 30 of 100 people with syphilis can experience recurrent infections during the latent stage. Recurrent infections mean that you have symptoms of syphilis, but then start experiencing symptoms again. Relapse can occur several times.
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When relapse does not occur, a person will not transmit syphilis through contact. But a woman in the latent stage of syphilis can still transmit the infection to her womb and may have a miscarriage, stillbirth at delivery, or give birth to a baby carrying symptoms of congenital syphilis.
