STD'S
Your Health Matters

• Syphilis is spread through direct contact with a syphilis sore during vaginal, anal, or oral sex.

• A mother with syphilis can spread it to her unborn baby.

• You should get tested every year if you are sexually active and:​​

  • have HIV​

  • are taking pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) for HIV

  • have a partner who has tested positive

  • If you are pregnant at your first prenatal visit, during the third trimester, and at delivery

• There are four stages of syphilis (primary, secondary, latent, and tertiary). 

• Single or multiple sores at the location where syphilis entered your body, including: 

• vagina

• anus

• rectum

• lips or in the moth

• Sores are usually firm, round, and painless, which may go unnoticed and last 3 to 6 weeks.

• Treatment will stop the infection from moving to the secondary stage.

• There are no visible signs or symptoms, and without the proper treatment, you can continue to have syphilis in your body for years.

​

• Refrain from having sex

• Only have sex with someone who's not infected and only has sex with you.

• Use condoms, if used the correct way and if sores are covered. 

• Skin rashes when your primary sore is healing or sores in your mouth, vagina, or anus.

• The rash can be on the palms of your hands or the bottoms of your feet and can look: 

  • rough, faint, red, or reddish-brown

• Other symptoms

  • Fever, swollen lymph glands, sore throat, patchy hair loss, headaches, weight loss, muscle aches, and fatigue

• Treatment will stop the infection from moving to the latent stage.

Untreated syphilis can affect many other different organ systems, including: 

• heart and blood vessels

• brain and nervous system

• internal organs may be damaged and can result in death

• Very serious and would occur 10-30 years after the infection began

​