Syphilis | Shim Clinic, STD CLINIC SINGAPORE™

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Summary

Syphilis | Shim Clinic, STD CLINIC SINGAPORE™: Syphilis symptoms in men/women, screening/diagnosis, testing/check, treatment clinic, Singapore - Private and confidential service. Definitions, references, and latest news.

Description

Syphilis is caused by Treponema pallidum and is usually detected with the Venereal Disease Research Laboratory (VDRL) test, and treated with Benzathine penicillin injection.

Symptoms and signs

Primary Syphilis - a painless and firm ulcer (called a chancre) develops at the site of infection (penis, anal, mouth, scrotum) after nine to 90 days. If left untreated, the chancre will heal by itself within a few weeks. This does not indicate that the infection is cured; on the contrary the infection is actually spreading throughout the body.

Secondary Syphilis - rashes on palms, soles, and body usually appear within three months after the initial infection, coupled with flu-like symptoms (fever, lethargy, swollen glands). Other less common symptoms include moist, fleshy growth near the groin and anus, hair loss, etc. This is the most infectious stage. If left untreated, the rashes may also disappear; once again this does not mean that the infection is cured.

It must be emphasised that not all patients demonstrate early symptoms. Furthermore many may not be aware of infections occurring in the rectum or throat, while others may ignore mild rashes and flu-like symptoms which can be mistaken for a common throat infection and viral rash. Blood tests for syphilis one to three months after exposure will be able to diagnose the infection.

Latent Syphilis - this is the period where there are no symptoms or signs, the infection is called latent. Though it is not infectious, the bacteria continue to spread in internal organs. Some infected persons with syphilis remain in this latent stage for the rest of their lives with limited complications.

Tertiary Syphilis - a proportion of infected persons progress to this late stage after five to up to 30 years where internal organs like the heart, brain, eyes, nerves, spinal cord are seriously infected. Usually these people are discovered when they present with heart problems, visual problems, psychiatric or brain complaints etc

Diagnosis

During the primary stage, a test using a special microscope to identify the bacteria in the fluid obtained from the chancre is diagnostic. Experienced laboratory technicians are usually needed for this. Sometimes, this technique is the only way to diagnose primary syphilis because the blood test for VDRL (Venereal Disease Research Laboratory Slide Test) or RPR (Rapid Plasma Reagin) may not show up during this early phase or window period.

If a person presents with secondary symptoms, a blood test will usually confirm the diagnosis of secondary syphilis.

All latent and late syphilis are diagnosed by blood tests.

Treatment

Syphilis is a treatable and curable infection. Penicillin given by injection is the drug of choice; it effectively cures a person with syphilis in the early stage and prevents further organ damage in the late stages. Thereafter routine monitoring of blood every six months for up to two years is needed to ensure adequate treatment.

TORCHES

References

• Syphilis - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
• Syphilis: Definition from Answers.com
• Syphilis - definition of Syphilis in the Medical dictionary - by the Free Online Medical Dictionary, Thesaurus and Encyclopedia.
• WHO | Antibiotics for syphilis diagnosed during pregnancy
• Syphilis - STD information from CDC
• Single-Dose Azithromycin versus Penicillin G Benzathine for the Treatment of Early Syphilis — NEJM

Trend of transfusion transmitted infections frequency in blood donors: provide a road map for its prevention and control
Tue, 31 Jan 2012 05:00:00 +0100 | Journal of Translational Medicine
Conclusions: This study reflects that blood transfusion is one of the leading risk factor of spread of the TTIs, which showed the need and importance of the mandatory screening of these infectious markers in blood donations. (Source: Journal of Translational Medicine)

[News & Analysis] China: An Explosive Return of the 'Great Pox'
Fri, 27 Jan 2012 17:42:31 +0100 | Science: Current Issue
As a result of widespread migration, rising inequality, and evolving sexual mores, China now holds the dubious title of the nation with the largest increase in reported syphilis cases in the penicillin era.Author: Mara Hvistendahl (Source: Science: Current Issue)

Prevalence and risk factors associated with syphilis in a cohort of HIV positive individuals in Brazil
Mon, 23 Jan 2012 22:44:04 +0100 | ---- Care
(Source: ---- Care)

Congenital syphilis in Switzerland: gone, forgotten, on the return.
Fri, 20 Jan 2012 11:24:09 +0100 | Swiss Medical Weekly
CONCLUSIONS: The epidemiologic data suggest that congenital syphilis could become a medical problem in Switzerland due to the rise of infectious syphilis cases in women of childbearing age that have been shown to be followed by changes in the congenital syphilis incidence. The persistence of congenital syphilis in Switzerland along with this rise of infectious syphilis in women of childbearing age suggests a potential for improvement of prenatal care and syphilis control programmes. PMID: 22252171 [PubMed - in process] (Source: Swiss Medical Weekly)

Seroprevalence and incidence of transfusion‐transmitted infectious diseases among blood donors from regional blood transfusion centres in Burkina Faso, West AfricaSéroprévalence et incidence des maladies infectieuses transmises par la transfusion chez les donneurs de sang dans les centres régionaux de transfusion sanguine au Burkina‐Faso, Afrique de l’OuestSeroprevalencia e incidencia de enfermedades infecciosas transmitidas mediante transfusión entre donantes de sangre de los centros regionales de transfusión en Burkina Faso, África del Oeste
Thu, 19 Jan 2012 09:54:30 +0100 | Tropical Medicine and International Health
Conclusion  The relatively high prevalence of viral markers in first‐time volunteers and remarkably high incidence of infections in repeat donors raise concerns regarding the safety of these donors and suggest that implementation of NAT might significantly improve the situation.Contexte et objectif:  La prévalence élevée de nombreuses maladies infectieuses transmises par la transfusion comme le VIH, le VHB, le VHC et la syphilis en Afrique subsaharienne affecte la sécurité du sang pour les receveurs de transfusions sanguines. Le but de cette étude était d’évaluer la prévalence et l’incidence des maladies infectieuses transmissibles par la transfusion chez les donneurs de sang au Burkina‐Faso.Méthodes:  Une étude rétrospective des dossiers des donneurs de sang de j...

The role of sexually transmitted infections in the evolution of the South African HIV epidemicRôle des infections sexuellement transmissibles dans l’évolution de l’épidémie du VIH en Afrique du sudEl papel de las infecciones de transmisión sexual en la evolución de la epidemia de VIH en Sudáfrica
Thu, 19 Jan 2012 09:54:07 +0100 | Tropical Medicine and International Health
Conclusions  Sexually transmitted infections have contributed significantly to the spread of HIV in South Africa, but STI control efforts have had limited impact on HIV incidence because of their late introduction and suboptimal coverage.Objectifs:  Evaluer la mesure dans laquelle les infections sexuellement transmissibles (IST) ont contribuéà la propagation du VIH en Afrique du sud et estimer dans quelle mesure des améliorations dans le traitement des IST ont réduit l’incidence du VIH.Méthodes:  Un modèle mathématique a été utilisé pour simuler les interactions entre le VIH et six autres IST (herpès génital, syphilis, chancre mou, blennorragie, infection à Chlamydia et à Trichomonas) ainsi que la vaginose bactérienne et la candidose vaginale. Les effets des IST sur ...

Diabetes, HIV and other health determinants associated with absenteeism among formal sector workers in Namibia
Wed, 18 Jan 2012 05:00:00 +0100 | BMC Public Health - Latest articles
Conclusion: Both NCD risk factors and infectious diseases are associated with increased rates of short-term absenteeism of formal sector employees in Namibia. Programs to manage these conditions could help employers avoid costs associated with absenteeism. These programs could include basic health care insurance including regular wellness screenings. (Source: BMC Public Health - Latest articles)

Hahnemann's Dissimilar Diseases
Tue, 17 Jan 2012 05:00:00 +0100 | Homoeopathic Links
Homoeopathic Links 2011; 24: 226-231DOI: 10.1055/s-0031-1280285SummaryHahnemann states in the Organon that dissimilar diseases, that meet in an organism, would not just fuse, but would either keep away or suspend one another, or if equally strong they would exist side by side and so form a “complex disease”. He then recommends a well-timed alternation of remedies for each of those coexisting diseases. Can we use his insights about the treatment, e.g., of Syphilis and Psora, for certain other diseases as well? Also, we might see why in Genuine Homeopathy, e.g., Boenninghausen's method, the disease concept is partly different from that in Classical Homeopathy.[...]© Sonntag Verlag in MVS Medizinverlage Stuttgart GmbH & Co. KGArticle in Thieme eJournals:Table of contents  |  Ab...

History of Actas Dermo-Sifiliográficas, Part I: 1909-1959.
Tue, 17 Jan 2012 05:00:00 +0100 | Actas Dermo-Sifiliograficas
Authors: Del Río E Abstract Actas Dermo-Sifiliográficas was born in May 1909. At first, issues appeared in step with the academic year, but publication began to follow the calendar year in 1957. Volume 18 was skipped in 1926-7 in an effort to correct confusion in the numbering of volumes and pages of earlier issues. October 1928 saw the journal grow from 6 issues per year to 9. Although the Spanish Civil War brought publication to a halt during the 1936-7 academic year, Actas Dermo-Sifiliográficas was one of the first Spanish scientific journals to recover from the conflict. The initial print run of 100 copies was increased to 700 after the war. The content evolved over time: while originally conceived to provide a strict account of sessions of the Spanish Academy of Dermatology...