A syphilis chancre is the first sore of syphilis: a single, firm, round, painless ulcer that appears at the spot where Treponema pallidum bacteria entered the body — usually the genitals, anus, or mou
Yes, you can get syphilis from oral sex. Treponema pallidum , the bacterium that causes syphilis, spreads through direct contact with a syphilis sore — and those sores can sit on the lips, mouth, thro
Syphilis has an incubation period of about 10 to 90 days, averaging around three weeks, between exposure and the first painless sore (chancre) of primary syphilis CDC, About Syphilis. After that sore
The Jarisch-Herxheimer reaction is a short-lived flare of fever, chills, headache, and muscle aches that appears within the first day after syphilis treatment — usually within a couple of hours of the
Latent syphilis is the symptom-free phase of a Treponema pallidum infection: the bacterium is still alive and detectable on a blood test, but the sores and rash of earlier stages have faded. Clinician
Neurosyphilis is what happens when Treponema pallidum , the bacterium that causes syphilis, invades the brain, spinal cord, or surrounding fluid. It can appear at any stage of infection, not just late
Syphilis is a curable bacterial infection caused by Treponema pallidum , spread mainly through sexual contact with an infectious sore and from a pregnant person to their baby. It moves through four st
If you're allergic to penicillin and have syphilis, you can usually be treated with doxycycline (100 mg orally twice daily for 14 days for early disease, or 28 days for late latent) instead. The major
You prevent syphilis by combining several layers: use condoms correctly and consistently, limit exposure to untested partners, and screen regularly if you're at risk. For some gay and bisexual men and
A rising syphilis titer after treatment can mean two very different things: reinfection (you cleared the first infection and caught it again, usually from an untreated partner) or treatment failure (t
Syphilis testing uses two different kinds of blood tests. An RPR is a nontreponemal test that measures the body's reaction to tissue damage and can be tracked as a titer, while a treponemal test detec
The secondary syphilis rash is a rough, red or reddish-brown eruption that classically appears on the palms and soles but can spread across the trunk and limbs. It's a sign the infection from Treponem
In 2023 the US primary and secondary (P&S) syphilis rate reached 15.8 per 100,000 CDC AtlasPlus, 2023. Rates vary enormously by state: South Dakota, Washington DC, New Mexico, and Mississippi topped t
Congenital syphilis happens when syphilis passes from a pregnant person to the fetus through the placenta or during birth. US cases have surged from 2,163 in 2020 to 3,882 in 2023 CDC AtlasPlus, 2023
Syphilis and genital herpes both cause genital sores, but they're fundamentally different. Syphilis is a bacterial infection that produces a single painless, firm sore and is curable with penicillin.
Syphilis is cured with penicillin. For primary, secondary, or early latent disease, that means a single injection of benzathine penicillin G into the muscle; late or unknown-duration syphilis needs th
A syphilis test is a blood test, and diagnosis takes two of them: a screening test (RPR or VDRL, or a treponemal antibody test) followed by a different confirmatory test. Antibodies can take up to two
Syphilis produces the same stages in men and women, but where the first sore lands differs. Men usually get a visible, painless chancre on the penis; women's chancres often sit inside the vagina or on
Syphilis symptoms unfold in stages. The first is usually a single painless sore (chancre) where the bacteria entered, about three weeks after exposure. Weeks later comes a rough rash, often on the pal
Yes — you can absolutely get syphilis again after you've been treated and cured. A past infection gives you no immunity to Treponema pallidum , so a new exposure can reinfect you no matter how many ti
Syphilis in pregnancy is a curable bacterial infection that can pass to the baby and cause miscarriage, stillbirth, or lifelong disability — known as congenital syphilis. The fix is straightforward: e
Syphilis spreads mainly through direct skin-to-skin contact with an active syphilis sore or rash during vaginal, anal, or oral sex, and from a pregnant person to their baby. The bacterium can't surviv
Yes — syphilis is curable at every stage with the right antibiotics. The bacterium Treponema pallidum is reliably killed by penicillin, given as one injection for early infection or three weekly injec
A positive STD result almost never comes from a single kiss — it comes from a test that detects an infection you already had, often from another route, and usually with no symptoms to warn you. Most k
Syphilis in pregnancy is a curable bacterial infection ( Treponema pallidum ) that can pass to the baby and cause miscarriage, stillbirth, or lifelong disability. The fix is straightforward: universal
Oral syphilis refers to sores from Treponema pallidum that show up in the mouth, throat, or lips. In the first stage it's a painless chancre at the site of contact; in the second, mucous patches on th
Untreated syphilis doesn't stay still. After the first sore heals and symptoms fade, the bacterium Treponema pallidum keeps spreading silently, and over years it can damage the heart, blood vessels, b