A person can order a home syphilis test online or buy one from some in-store pharmacies. Usually, an individual needs to take a blood sample from a finger prick. And more thorough tests, which can identify various STIs, may also need urine or swab samples.
Only your doctor can know for sure whether you have syphilis. The USPSTF recommends that anyone who is at increased risk for infection undergo screening. Your doctor will give you a physical exam, check your genitals, and look for skin rashes or sores called chancres. You'll also have a blood test.
The first sign of syphilis is a small sore, called a chancre (SHANG-kur). The sore appears at the spot where the bacteria entered your body. While most people infected with syphilis develop only one chancre, some people develop several of them.
A presumptive diagnosis of syphilis requires use of two laboratory serologic tests: a nontreponemal test (i.e., Venereal Disease Research Laboratory [VDRL] or rapid plasma reagin [RPR] test) and a treponemal test (i.e., the T.
Syphilis stays in your body if it is not treated. It can damage your heart, brain, eyes, and other organs. This damage may not show up for many years and could kill you.
The characteristic rash of secondary syphilis may appear as rough, red, or reddish brown spots both on the palms of the hands and the bottoms of the feet. However, rashes with a different appearance may occur on other parts of the body, sometimes resembling rashes caused by other diseases.
Latent (hidden) stage
But the latent stage can also happen between the primary and secondary stage. It may be as brief as 1 year or range from 5 to 20 years. Often during this stage, an accurate diagnosis can only be made through blood testing, the person's history, or the birth of a child with congenital syphilis.
You should get tested for syphilis if you have symptoms of syphilis or if your sexual partner was recently diagnosed with syphilis. Symptoms usually appear about two to three weeks after infection and include: Small, painless sore (chancre) on the genitals, or in the mouth, anus, or rectum.
It can take 3 weeks or more for the symptoms of syphilis to appear after you're infected. Sometimes the symptoms can improve or go away completely, but if you have not been treated the infection is still in your body. This means you can still pass it on and you're at risk of getting serious problems later on.
Is there a cure for syphilis? Yes, syphilis is curable with the right antibiotics from your healthcare provider. However, treatment might not undo any damage the infection can cause.
These syphilis symptoms may come and go for up to 2 years. They include body rashes that last 2 – 6 weeks — often on the palms of your hands and the soles of your feet. There are lots of other symptoms, including mild fever, fatigue, sore throat, hair loss, weight loss, swollen glands, headache, and muscle pains.
Primary stage
In the initial stage of a syphilis infection, you may notice a small sore or chancre. Typically, there will be only one sore, although in some cases multiple sores may appear, according to the CDC [6]. Syphilitic sores are round, painless, and firm to the touch. They are also deeply rooted in the skin.
Syphilitic chancres and mucous patches usually are painless, unless they become secondarily infected. Both of these lesions are highly infectious. The chancre begins as a round papule that erodes into a painless ulcer with a smooth grayish surface (see Figure 13-4). Size can range from a few millimeters to 2 to 3 cm.
Syphilis and herpes can often seem similar to the average person. Both are characterized by skin lesions or sores that can appear on the genitals, rectum, or around the mouth. However, these sores are significantly different in how they look and feel.
Syphilis can be diagnosed by testing samples of: Blood. Blood tests can confirm the presence of antibodies that the body produces to fight infection. The antibodies to the syphilis-causing bacteria remain in your body for years, so the test can be used to determine a current or past infection.
Pityriasis rosea can be mistaken for secondary syphilis. It typically erupts on the back as a pinkish, scaly, oval plaque but can occur anywhere on the body. Hypopigmentation or hyperpigmentation may occur as the rash resolves.
In the first stage of syphilis, a small, smooth sore develops on your genitals, mouth or lips. It may resemble a pimple and be so small and harmless that you don't even notice. This sore goes away on its own in about six weeks. In the second stage of syphilis, a rough, red or brown rash develops.
Other symptoms can include fever, swollen lymph glands, sore throat, wart like lesions, condyloma lata, may develop in warm moist areas, patchy hair loss, headaches, weight loss, muscle aches, and fatigue or feeling very tired. The symptoms will go away with or without treatment.
How quickly do symptoms appear after infection? The average time between acquisition of syphilis and the start of the first symptom is 21 days. However, this can range from 10 to 90 days.
Syphilis. This STD can take up to six weeks after exposure to show up in lab testing. You will also need to be retested two weeks after completing treatment.
While the average incubation time of syphilis is 21 days, symptoms can appear anytime between 10 and 90 days. Syphilis Window Period: 3-6 weeks in general; but, most resources recommend getting tested 90 days after exposure.
Summary. Syphilis is the seventh most common sexually transmitted infection (STI) in the United States in terms of new infections.
Syphilis is a sexually transmitted infection (STI) that has been around for centuries, but cases are increasing: In 2020, there were more than 130,000 new cases in the United States. After syphilis is contracted, it goes through four stages: primary, secondary, latent, and tertiary.
If you have syphilis, it can be cured completely. But you may have it and not know it. Syphilis bacteria can live, inactive, in your spleen and lymph nodes for decades without your knowing it. That is why it is important to talk to your doctor, especially if you have multiple sex partners.
A syphilis rash doesn't usually itch. People may mistake a syphilis rash for psoriasis, eczema or pityriasis rosea if they don't realize they have syphilis. While the rash often appears on the hands or feet, it can also appear on the torso, trunk or extremities.