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After initial infection, syphilis bacteria enter the bloodstream and cause systemic manifestations. This is stage 2 syphilis, which can spread very strongly as well as from mother to fetus and cause many dangerous complications if left untreated.
1. What is stage 2 syphilis?
Syphilis is a bacterial infection and is usually spread through sexual contact. The disease begins with lesions on the genitals, rectum or even in the mouth and spreads from person to person by contact with the skin or mucous membranes on these sores. Syphilis is a sexually transmitted disease caused by a bacterium called Treponema pallidum.
Syphilis in men and syphilis in women will manifest in four stages. Primary syphilis is the early stage of the disease when it causes only one or more small, painless sores in or around the genitals, anus, or in the mouth. If left untreated in the early stages, the disease can progress to stage 2 syphilis, also called secondary syphilis. If secondary syphilis remains untreated, the disease may progress to a latent stage and possibly even progress to a third stage.
Stage 2 syphilis is still curable with medical treatment. It's important to get an early diagnosis to get early treatment to prevent the disease from progressing to a third stage, where it can be no longer curable. By then, the disease can already damage organs in the body, as well as cause memory loss, paralysis or even death.
2. What are the symptoms of stage 2 syphilis?
Primary syphilis usually presents as an ulcer. This sore begins three weeks after the initial infection, but can appear as soon as 10 days or as late as 90 days. This lesion, also known as “chancre” (translated from “chancre”), is small, dense, round, and painless, located at the site of the initial infection, usually the mouth or anus. or genitals. The person may not even notice it. If left untreated, the initial wound will heal in a month or so. If a person is left untreated during the initial appearance of these symptoms, the bacteria will enter the bloodstream and the patient will develop secondary syphilis, or stage 2 syphilis.
Symptoms of stage 2 syphilis develop two to eight weeks after a person is infected with primary syphilis. The secondary stage is usually marked by patches of rash on the skin that are not itchy.
Usually, patches of skin rash are observed to be scaly but can also be smooth. The site of the rash may be limited to one part of the body, or it may spread to many different parts of the body. The characteristics of each board may not be uniform. However, the most common manifestation is rough, reddish-brown spots on the bottom of the feet and on the palms of the hands.
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Also, other symptoms of stage 2 syphilis include:
Sore throat Fever Swollen sore lymph nodes Headache Fatigue Muscle pain Wart-like patches around skin folds or genitals . However, sometimes stage 2 syphilis has no symptoms at all, but is discovered by chance during a blood test. This is called “closed syphilis”.
3. How is stage 2 syphilis diagnosed?
To diagnose stage 2 syphilis or secondary syphilis, the doctor will rely on the characteristics of the examination and information about the previous history. If you have sores on your skin, your doctor will need to take a sample and look at it under a microscope to check the nature of the sore and possibly find the causative agent. In this case, it is possible to observe the syphilis bacteria that will appear under the microscope if dark field microscopy techniques are applied.
Diagnosis of stage 2 syphilis is also possible with a rapid plasma reagin (RPR) blood test for syphilis antigens. It is also a reliable, common, but low-cost way for doctors to quickly determine if a person has syphilis. Once you have an infection, your body makes antibodies to fight the infection. Accordingly, if a blood test shows the presence of these anti-syphilis antibodies, it is concluded that you have syphilis infection. What's more, RPR testing is also important for pregnant women (syphilis can be passed from mother to baby through the placenta). Because if syphilis is not diagnosed and actively treated, it can be passed on to the baby right before birth and can also threaten the life of the fetus.
4. Does stage 2 syphilis lead to complications?
Without treatment, stage 2 syphilis may continue to progress. It could be 10 or 20 years before the worst conditions come. Ultimately, if syphilis is left untreated, it can lead to damage to the brain, eyes, heart, nerves, bones, joints, and liver. At this point, you run the risk of paralysis, blindness, memory loss, or loss of all sensations in your body. In pregnant women, untreated syphilis can also lead to stillbirth or fetal growth retardation.
On the other hand, even while being treated for syphilis, there is a risk of a Jarisch-Herxheimer reaction within 24 hours of the first dose of the drug. This phenomenon is when the infection is broken, the syphilis bacteria are released, a series of reactions in the body are triggered, causing symptoms such as chills, rash, fever, tachycardia, rapid breathing, headache, muscle pain, joint pain and nausea... There are many cases of Jarisch-Herxheimer reactions, most of which are mild and self-resolving. Only a few are likely to lead to serious conditions. At this time, the patient should be hospitalized for prompt medical intervention.
In addition, a syphilis wound will increase the risk of HIV infection as well as other sexually transmitted diseases. Because of this, patients should be encouraged to get tested for HIV and other suspected conditions if they have been diagnosed with stage 2 syphilis.
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5. How to prevent stage 2 syphilis?
Each person can prevent stage 2 syphilis by getting thorough treatment from stage 1 syphilis before it progresses to the secondary stage.
It is crucial to be proactive in preventing syphilis in the first place by practicing safe sex practices, such as using condoms. You should regularly take the initiative to get screened for syphilis and other sexually transmitted diseases if you have unprotected sex or have multiple partners.
Thus, stage 2 syphilis is completely treatable. Without treatment, people are at risk of progressing to the third stage of syphilis as well as many serious complications, including brain damage and death. Accordingly, whenever in doubt, go to the doctor and get tested for treatment as soon as possible, to protect the health of yourself and those around you.
Vinmec International General Hospital offers a Package of Examination and Screening for social diseases to help customers detect diseases early and have effective treatment and prevent dangerous complications. The screening package for social diseases at Vinmec is for all ages, both men and women.
Please dial HOTLINE for more information or register for an appointment HERE. Download MyVinmec app to make appointments faster and to manage your bookings easily.
