Syphilis is an STI, or sexually transmitted infection, that is transmitted by direct contact with a "syphilitic sore" via skin and mucous membranes like the vagina, anus, rectum, lips, and mouth. It is most commonly contracted via oral, anal or vaginal sexual activities. It can sometimes be spread or caught through kissing though that is a fairly rare occurrence. Things like sharing toilets, clothing or eating utensils do not spread syphilis.
Though Syphilis can also be spread from a mother to her baby during pregnancy, this is referred to as congenital syphilis. Syphilis can lead to stillbirth or a low weight baby during pregnancy, and if left untreated a baby with syphilis can develop cataracts, deafness, or seizures and possibly death. Those who are most at risk for contracting syphilis are people who partake in unprotected sex, whether anally,
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Unfortunately in the presence of a syphilitic sore, there is an increased chance of contracting HIV. The average time between infection with syphilis and the start of the first symptom is 21 days but can range from 10 to 90 days.
In Minnesota, according to a 2013 report, "the overall incidence rate of primary/secondary syphilis increased from 2.2 to 3.6 cases per 100,000 persons. The number of cases among males increased from 111 in 2012 to 178 in 2013 while among females, the number increased from 7 to 12. Increases in cases were observed across all geographic areas; however the City of Minneapolis remains to account for the majority of cases (52%). "
Syphilis has been called "The Great Pretender" because its symptoms can look like many other diseases. But syphilis typically follows a progression of stages that can last weeks, months, or years. This follows the format of three main stages, the primary stage, the secondary stage, and the latent or late
The disease was viewed as a black man’s disease due to its vast spread in the black race community. In this chapter, it is clear that the medical fraternity had formed opinion of the disease even before the start of the experiment. The theme of racial prejudice is brought out clearly in this chapter. The blacks are discriminated from the whites even after learning that syphilis can affect both races alike. The slaves received treatment like their masters just because of economic concerns and not because they were human like their masters. In chapter 3 “Disease Germs Are the Most Democratic Creatures in the World”, the writer points out that the germ theory changed the way syphilis is viewed in the society. It was clear that other emphasis such as sanitation, education and preventative medicine was necessary to combat the disease. The areas inhabited by the blacks were behind in healthcare facilities and service. In this chapter, the theme of unequal distribution of resources is seen. Whereas areas inhabited by the whites had better hospitals and qualified professionals to deal with the
Prior to the beginning of the study, the doctors decided to withhold the official diagnosis from their patients. Instead, of telling the patients that they were infected with syphilis they chose to tell them they had bad blood. This was a decision made as a group, however, the provider’s individual reasoning was different. Miss Evers wanted to tell them
Most people in the U.S. learn STDs in their health class in high school. Syphilis is a sexually transmitted disease (STD) that causes sores over private parts or all over the body in a later stage. Syphilis is caused by a bacteria called spirochete. The spirochete cannot survive outside the body. The only way to get the disease is by intimate contact, but catching it is rare. Having more than one partner could increase the chances to catch the disease. The spirochete enters in a break in your skin genitals area or mouth. Once in your body, about three weeks it becomes a sore or have multiple sores. The sore looks like a crater on the surface of the skin. In the first stage it can be treated easily with antibiotics or penicillin. The second stage the syphilis spreads to the rest of the body. It is visible in your hand and soles on your feet. It can cause cardio-vascular disease, mental problems, paralysis, blindness and tumors. Syphilis has links to HIV/AIDS. It also attacks your nervous system. After infection it takes 21 to develop any symptoms for other people it takes from 10 to ninety days. It acts like no other disease known. The last stage is the deadliest if ignored, by the person. The damage obtained by syphilis is irreversible. By practicing safe sex (condoms), or having one sex partner can prevent these
When a person seeks medical attention they go with the hope that their personal rights will not be violated with the belief that doctors will uphold their personal standards. Unfortunately, this is not always so for people who visit the hospital. There are documented cases in United States history involving African Americans being experimented on for the greater good without their knowledge or consent, and some of the most heinous cases involve doctors injecting their study groups with life threatening diseases. What happens when good science goes bad and who has the right to relegate the status of another human being as less than? In this research paper we will examine a clinical testing case study featuring the violation and exploitation
1. Wake County health officials are claiming that social networking apps are partly to blame for the sharp increase in syphilis cases around the area. According to the state Department of Health and Human Services, As of Friday, March 18th, there has been a recorded 1,113 early syphilis infections that were diagnosed in 2014, in the entire state as well as county, which is a 62 percent increase from the previous year, when 688 cases were reported. The article states that Wake County saw a total of 233 reported cases of syphilis last year, marking a 15-year high. A Wake County public health division director by the name of Sue Lynn said that when patients who contracted syphilis were interviewed in Wake County, many said they met their partner
According to the CDC website, there are 55,400 people diagnosed with Syphilis every year and 322 reported cases of congenital Syphilis in 2012 (6). Treponema pallidum 3 Mechanism of Pathogenesis Treponema pallidum is transmitted sexually through oral, anal, vaginal intercourse and from mom to baby during pregnancy or during birth (1). The human host is the only natural known for Treponema pallidum, but testing can be done on rabbits for primary and secondary infections (8). Once this pathogen enters the body it starts to multiply causing inflammatory responses and the development of chronic sores (8). How Treponema pallidum causes disease is by resisting ingestion by macrophages, causing the antigens to bypass opsonization, which leads to the infection of syphilis (8).
Transmission: Pubic lice are easily transmitted during sex. They are also spread by other kinds of close physical contact. Someone can also get pubic lice from bedding that was already contaminated, clothes, furniture, and toilet seats.
Syphilis is a sexually transmitted disease (STD) that is seen as a global health issue according to the World Health Organization (WHO). The impact of the disease can be seen at all levels from local and state to national and international regions and how the disease is managed with vary amongst these regions (WHO, 2008).
There is little at face value that would alert an educated individual to the severity and the danger of Syphilis – the bacterium which causes syphilis, Treponema pallidum, appears as nothing more than a simple bacterium. The bacterium is spiral in shape, and is classified as Gram Negative (meaning that the bacterium lacks a thick layer of peptidoglycan in its cell wall). Syphilis infects it's victims through a limited number of ways – the most common way, however, is by entrance through chafed, cracked skin and through mucous membranes. Because of this, Syphilis is so effectively transmitted through sexual contact and sexual activity that it is primarily known as a Sexually Transmitted Infection (STI). However, Syphilis does not limit itself to only the aforementioned modes of transportation. The disease is also effectively transmitted through blood transfusions, not to mention the passing of Syphilis from mother to child in the womb during pregnancy (CDC 2007).
Pathogens are a type of microorganism that spreads viral and bacterial diseases. These diseases when present in human blood and body fluids are known as blood borne pathogens, and can spread from one person to another. (Worcester polytechnic institute) The most serious types of blood borne diseases are the hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV), which can cause liver damage; and HIV (human immunodeficiency virus), which is responsible for causing AIDS (acquired immune deficiency syndrome). The blood borne pathogens can be spread when the blood or body fluids (semen, vaginal fluid, breast milk, and amniotic fluid) of an infected individual comes into contact with mucous membranes or an open sore or cut on the skin of another person. Mucus membranes are located in the eyes, nose, mouth, and other areas as well. ("Bloodborne pathogens: MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia") Two of the most common ways that pathogens are transmitted is through the exchange of fluids during sexual intercourse or by sharing infected IV needles. (Worcester polytechnic institute)
When they do have a breakout, the lesions are painful and can last up to 10 to 14 days. Lesions tend to recur at the same site. Herpes simplex virus type 2 causes lesions on the genitals, pain with intercourse and urination and pain around the genitals. Both the type 1 and type 2 viruses can also cause a fever, swollen lymph nodes, headaches, tiredness and lack of appetite. (Klein, 2016; Dock, 2017)
Sexually Transmitted Diseases Sexually Transmitted Diseases STDs, a.k.a venereal diseases, infectious diseases passed from one person to another during sexual contact. STDs are the most common infections known. More than 12 million people in the United States, including 3 million teenagers, are infected with STDs every year. The United States has the highest STD rate in the world about one in ten Americans will contract an STD during his or her lifetime. People who do not know they are infected risk infecting their sexual partners and, in some cases, their unborn children. If left untreated, these diseases may cause pain or may destroy a woman's ability to have children. Some STDs can be cured with a single dose of antibiotics, but AIDS cannot be cured. Those most at risk for contracting STDs are people who have unprotected sex—without using a condom, people who have multiple partners, and people whose sex partners are drug users who share needles. Static’s show that Americans between the ages of 16 and 24 are most likely of catching STDs than older adults, because younger people usually have multiple sexual partners than an older person in a long-term relationship. Teenagers may be embarrassed to tell their sexual partners they are infected Teenagers may also be embarrassed or unable to seek medical attention for STDs. This means that they only more likely to pass the disease to other young people and have a greater risk of suffering the long-term consequences of untreated STDs. STDs are transmitted by infectious bacteria, viruses, parasites, fungi, and single-celled organisms called protozoa that live in warm, moist parts of the body, like the genital area, mouth, and throat. Most STDs are spread while having sex, but oral sex can also spread disease. Some STDs are passed from a mother to her child while pregnant, when the disease enters the baby's bloodstream, during childbirth as the baby passes through the birth canal, or after birth, when the baby drinks infected breast milk. AIDS can be transmitted by blood contact such as open wounds, between people who share infected needles or received through an injection of infected blood. Some people believe that STDs can be transmitted through shaking hands or other casual contact, or through contact with inanimate objects such as clothing or toilet seats, but they can’t. Chlamydeous, is from trachoma is bacterium, is the most commonly transmitted STD in the United States.
A report done by the Center for Disease Control And Prevention has shown that syphilis, chylmadia and gonorrhea rates are on the rise. Young people who are between the ages of 15 and 24 are at the greatest risk for acquiring an infection. Fortunately, sexually-transmitted diseases can be prevented.
Syphilis is a sexually transmitting infection caused by Treonema pallidum, a gram negative, and anaerobic spirochete bacteria 1. Syphilis is thought to have been brought to Europe by Columbus and his sailors in the 1500’s 1. The disease is characterized by four different stages with varying symptoms depending on the stage that the disease is in1. Often syphilis is presented with another sexually transmitted infection such as chlamydia. Public education regarding safe sex is important for the prevention of this sexually transmitted infection.