Syphilis
Syphilis is caused by bacteria that live in syphilis sores or rashes that appear in or on the penis, mouth or rectum of an infected man. It can spread easily through contact with these during sex.
Symptoms
Many people with syphilis never notice any symptoms but the infection has three stages and with each one these symptoms may appear:
First stage (primary syphilis)
Several weeks after infection one or more painless sores can appear on a man’s penis, or on or in the rectum, mouth or throat. Glands near the sore may swell. The sore will eventually heal but you still have syphilis.
Second stage (secondary syphilis)
Weeks or a few months later a body rash can appear, often on the palms of hands or soles of feet. There can be fever, headaches and infectious warty growths or ulcers or grey patches of skin can develop on the affected area. These also heal with time but the person still has syphilis.
Third stage (tertiary syphilis)
Years later syphilis can cause serious damage to the heart, brain and nervous system. This is very rare as infections are usually detected before this stage.
How it is transmitted
Syphilis bacteria live in the sores and rash caused by the infection and contact with them during sex easily passes the bacteria on. During sex between men syphilis can spread through:
- oral sex
- anal sex without a condom
- fingering or fisting
What can I do if I think I have syphilis?
You can go to a free and confidential NHS sexual health clinic. You can go to any, not just the nearest. Your local or family doctor (GP) might also test and treat for STIs – if not, they will refer you to a clinic. You can read more about clinics and find your nearest one here.
By law sexual health clinics cannot tell anyone about your visit. But if you are referred by your GP to a clinic they will send a letter to your doctor saying what tests and treatment you had; this will go on your GP records. If you don’t want this to happen it’s better to go straight to the clinic without involving your GP.
Testing
A blood test shows if you have syphilis and everyone seen by a sexual health clinic is offered this test. If you have the sores or rash these will be swabbed to look for the bacteria.
Treatment
Antibiotics injected into the buttock cure syphilis or you may be given pills. Once cured, you are not immune; you can get syphilis again.
Why get treated?
Syphilis left untreated for a very long time can cause serious damage to your heart, nervous system, brain and bones. An untreated person remains infectious for around two years and can give syphilis to people they have sex with during that time.
Protecting yourself and others
If you have syphilis your partner(s) should be told so that they can get checked. The clinic can do this for you if you prefer. Avoid sex until syphilis is treated and tests show treatment has worked.
A condom can lower your risk of getting syphilis and other sexually transmitted infections. A latex glove cuts the risk from fingering or fisting. But if a condom or latex glove doesn’t cover the sore or rash (eg in the mouth during oral sex) then the bacteria can spread through contact with these.
The more sexual partners you have, the more likely you are to get syphilis or another infection.
Reducing your numbers of partners, using condoms and having sexual health check-ups all lower the risk of infections being picked up or passed on. If you’re starting a relationship a sexual health check-up is a good idea, especially if you’re thinking of not using condoms
This article was last reviewed on: 21/10/11
Date due for next review: 21/10/13
