Syphilis develops in four stages, and each stage has different signs and symptoms
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- Primary stage: During the primary stage of syphilis, one or more sores (chancres) form at the site where the bacteria entered the body. This often occurs within 3 weeks of exposure but can range from 10 to 90 days. A person is highly contagious during the primary stage and can easily pass the infection to others. The sore is usually painless, and it can be found in, on, or around the penis, vagina, anus, rectum, and lips or in the mouth12345.6
- Secondary stage: The secondary stage of syphilis usually occurs several weeks after the primary stage. During this stage, a rash may appear on the palms of your hands, soles of your feet, or other parts of your body. The rash often forms over the body, often on the palms of the hands and the soles of the feet. The rash usually consists of reddish-brown, small, solid, flat or raised skin sores that are less than 2 cm (0.8 in.) across. But the rash may look like other more common skin problems. Secondary stage symptoms (syphilis rash) can last 2 to 6 weeks at a time, and may come and go for up to 2 years. They’re similar to other common illnesses, so it can be hard to tell it’s syphilis. Other symptoms of the secondary stage include fever, swollen lymph glands, sore throat, patchy hair loss, headaches, weight loss, muscle aches, and fatigue (feeling very tired). You can also have sores in your mouth, vagina, or anus, and weight or hair loss1234.5
- Latent stage: Without treatment, an infected person will progress to the latent (hidden) stage. During this stage, the bacteria that cause syphilis stay in the body without causing symptoms. This time with no symptoms usually happens after the secondary-stage rash goes away. But the latent stage can also happen between the primary and secondary stage. It may be as brief as 1 year or range from 5 to 20 years13.4
- Tertiary stage: During this stage, syphilis may cause serious blood vessel and heart problems, mental disorders, blindness, nerve system problems, and even death. The symptoms of tertiary (late) syphilis vary depending on which organs have been affected. Nervous system symptoms can include neck stiffness, headaches, grouchiness, paralysis, unequal reflexes, and irregular pupils. Other symptoms may include a fever, a sore throat, a vague feeling of weakness or discomfort throughout the body, weight loss, and patchy hair loss, especially in the eyebrows and scalp1.4
Citations:
[1] https://myhealth.alberta.ca/Health/Pages/conditions.aspx?hwid=tm6404
[2] https://www.plannedparenthood.org/learn/stds-hiv-safer-sex/syphilis/what-are-the-symptoms-of-syphilis
[3] https://www.cdc.gov/std/syphilis/stdfact-syphilis.htm
[4] https://www.peacehealth.org/medical-topics/id/tm6404
[5] https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/syphilis/symptoms-causes/syc-20351756
[6] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Syphilis
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