Syphilis is a sexually transmissible infection that can be treated and cured with antibiotics. If not treated it can affect the brain, spinal cord and other organs. The use of condoms and dams can prevent transmission.
Syphilis is a highly infectious sexually transmissible infection (STI) caused by the bacteria Treponema pallidum. Syphilis can be treated and cured with antibiotics. Without treatment, syphilis can cause serious health problems.
Syphilis is spread:
Sometimes people with syphilis will have no symptoms. This means that people may not know they have it unless they get a blood test. There are three stages of infection known as primary, secondary and tertiary syphilis.
Each stage of the infection has different symptoms.
Common symptoms include:
Syphilis can spread to the nervous system (the brain, spinal cord and nerves) at any stage of infection. This is called neurosyphilis. Symptoms may include headache, altered behaviour, difficulty coordinating muscle movements, paralysis, numbness, and dementia.
Syphilis can spread to the eye at any stage of infection (this is called ocular syphilis). Symptoms may include vision loss, blurry vision, eye pain, eye redness or even permanent blindness.
All sexually active people are at risk of infection. People at highest risk of being infected with syphilis are:
Syphilis infection can be prevented by:
Pregnant people, should be test for syphilis:
Treatment of syphilis is safe. If syphilis is treated during the early stage of pregnancy, it is very effective at preventing syphilis in unborn babies. The earlier the infection is treated, the lower the risk of the baby being affected by syphilis.
If a pregnant person has syphilis, the infection can be passed to the unborn baby (this is called congenital syphilis). An infected foetus may die in the womb (stillbirth), or the baby may be born early and with birth abnormalities. Babies born with congenital syphilis may have deformed bones, severe anaemia (a low blood count), enlarged liver or spleen, yellowing of the skin or eyes (jaundice), brain and nerve problems such as blindness and deafness, infection of the covering of the brain (meningitis) or skin rashes. If these babies are not treated, they may become developmentally delayed, have seizures, or die.
Syphilis is diagnosed by a laboratory test with your doctor or nurse. The test for syphilis can be collected from either a:
The specimen is then sent to a laboratory for testing. There are currently no reliable self-tests approved for use in Australia.
If you have an ulcer or sore, it is recommended that you have a swab test. This is because it can take longer for positive results to appear in blood tests. Because of this, your doctor or nurse may recommend a repeat test at 12 weeks after a recent exposure.
Call healthdirect (1800 022 222) to find a testing service near you.
Syphilis is usually treated with penicillin injections. Penicillin is an antibiotic. The number of injections will vary depending on the stage of infection. Follow-up blood tests are needed to check that the treatment has worked.
People who have had syphilis can get it again. People who have had syphilis may continue to test positive on blood tests even after they have recovered. A combination of treatment history and blood tests can help determine if the infection is new or a previously treated infection.
Sexual partners need to be tested and treated. This is important to prevent re-infection and to prevent the infection spreading to others.
If you have syphilis, you should: