Syphilis (Syphilis)

This disease agent, also known as syphilis or syphilis, is the treponema pallidum bacterium and it is a serious infection that affects the nervous system and other systems, especially the circulatory system, in the genital organs in the later periods.

Syphilis manifests itself with lesions that we call smooth-edged, red painless chancre on the skin of the genital organs after a period of approximately 3 weeks, which we call the incubation period for the proliferation after sexual transmission. Even if it is not treated later, the lesions heal spontaneously, but if treatment is not carried out, it will mimic other diseases in the future and cause serious consequences in systems such as the nervous system and large vessels. Syphilis has 3 periods

1. Chancres period: 3 weeks after contracting the disease, red, painless, smooth-edged lesions appear on the skin of the genital organs such as the penis or vagina. Sometimes it can be painful. Even if it is not treated, it may pass by itself, but it will show itself in other periods in the future.
2. It shows itself with flu-like symptoms about 7-10 weeks after the first period. So it can mimic the flu. During this period, weakness, sore throat, muscle pain and fever occur. If it is not treated in this period, it can pass by itself, but it falls asleep and manifests itself as the 3rd period.
3. It is the period of systemic syphilis and appears 3-15 years after the beginning and shows itself in 3 ways a) syphilis with gummatous; Tumor-like structures that we call gummas are formed in the skin, bones and internal organs. So it can mimic a tumor b) Neurosyphilis; It can cause dementia, paralysis, sensory defects and eye disorders by holding the nervous system. c) Vascular syphilis; It affects large vessels such as the aorta, causing the condition we call aneurysm and may result in death.

In addition, if syphilis is present during pregnancy, it may cause serious consequences in the newborn and cause death.

In addition to clinical symptoms, a diagnosis is made as a result of examination in the laboratory by taking samples from the lesion and blood that we call chancre.

The most important treatment is prevention and monogamy, condom use and hygiene are very important. Penicillin group antibiotics are the most preferred drugs in treatment. However, treatment must be performed under the control of a physician. The microorganism that causes syphilis can be eliminated with antibiotics, but additional treatments and even surgical treatments may be required in the treatment of nervous system, heart and internal organ involvement.