An STD infection is mostly transmitted through sexual intercourse that includes oral, anal, and vaginal. Treponema pallidum is the bacteria that cause syphilis which is transferred from an infected person to a non-infected one. Open sores or chancres around the mouth or lips of an infected person can pass the infection through direct contact with a mucous membrane.
The bacteria that cause syphilis are more concentrated in the rectum, vagina, anus, penis, and the surrounding genital area of an infected person. During the second phase of the infection, sores or chancres can occur on the lips and mouth of the infected individual. Kissing during this stage can transmit the infection especially when the non-infected person has a cut or scrape on the lips or mouth.
Using shared needles is another way of transmitting the infection. This is particularly true in habitual drug users who inject drugs into their bloodstream. If an individual cannot stay away from his or her drug habit, the best way to prevent acquiring the infection would be to buy a new one instead of borrowing from another. This method also applies to individuals who use medicines like insulin. Borrowing from another diabetic person should be a big no-no. Blood transfusions is another passageway though that seems to happen rarely as donated blood is checked assiduously with the tainted ones disposed of properly.
In whatever way it was transmitted the important issues that need to be faced are the infection and the fastest way to get rid of it. The thing about syphilis to remember is that it is asymptomatic in the first phase which means that the infected person does not even know that he or she already has syphilis. Flu-like symptoms will be felt after two weeks from the date of infection but in the meantime the infection can be spread to other non-infected individuals.
Syphilis is treatable with an antibiotic regimen. Penicillin is usually the most commonly used that could either be given intramuscular or oral. For people who have an allergic reaction to penicillin other penicillin-free antibiotics are recommended. Intramuscular injections given could either be procaine or benzathine penicillin. The medication schedule should be strictly adhered to in order to eradicate the infection before it could do further damage to the body. The antibiotic therapy can bring some side-effects to the patient such as fever, chills, joint and muscle pain that clears up after 24 hours. Your doctor will inform you whatever side-effects the medications are expected to manifest.
Syphilis is one of the deadly STDs that can affect the brain and heart which could eventually lead to death if left untreated up to the last stage. During its last phase, it can cause blindness and dementia among other things. It has been said that King Henry VIII was afflicted with syphilis which led to his eventual death.
Treatment could take as long as 3 months and the infected individual is advised to refrain from participating in any sexual activity especially during the first two phases. This is to make sure that the infection is contained until the infected person is given a clean bill of health.