Syphilis is named after a shepherd in a Latin poem who had the disease. (Taber's) It is also called the "Great Masquerader", the "Great Pox" , "syph", "lues" and "bad blood" . It was called the "Great Masquader" because its symptoms mimic many other diseases.

What are the symptoms of Syphilis?

The bacterium is found in sores and rashes that occur anywhere on the skin or inside the mouth or genitals. The organism must have moisture to survive and be transmitted. It passes to the next person when two people have sex. It is important to remember that syphilis can be transmitted through any kind of sexual activity.

The first stage of syphilis infection is the chancre. which is a painless sore or sores that are round or flat. The sore can be colourless or only slightly changed in colour. The chancre will last from one to five weeks. They may be accompanied by swollen glands. The sores are
often not noticed. The chancres occur usually on the genitals.  In women the chancre can be anywhere within her vaginal canal and sometimes, directly on the cervix. In the first stage of syphilis, these sores always occur where the bacterium entered the body. The chancres do not scar. Although the sore may go away without
treatment, the person still has the bacterium if he/she hasn't been treated.

Rashes, headaches, sore throat, swollen glands and hair falling out in big patches are other symptoms. These symptoms will last for two to six weeks and will disappear even without treatment.

After these symptoms, the disease will go into a latent or hidden stage. The carrier is no longer contagious, but the spirochete is burrowing into the carrier's tissues. Fifty to seventy percent of carriers never leave this stage. The remainder of the carriers develop the fourth stage of syphilis.

The fourth stage of syphilis is called tertiary syphilis. Victims may develop serious eye problems, brain and spinal cord damage and they have a high probability of paralysis, insanity, blindness, and even death.

What causes Syphilis?

Treponema pallidum is the bacterium that causes syphilis.  It is a spirochete, a slender, spiral micro-organism that needs moisture to survive. It measures about 8 to 10 microns in length.

How is Syphilis treated?

Since the causative agent is a bacterium, the main treatment for syphilis of all types and stages is penicillin. For those who are allergic to penicillin, doses of tetracycline are given. Doses vary according to the stage of the disease. Pregnant women with a history of allergic reaction should undergo penicillin desensitization before being treated.