Tertiary syphilis is very serious and would occur 10–30 years after your infection began. In tertiary syphilis, the disease damages your internal organs and can result in death.
Deaths from sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) often occur long after acute infection, making their incidence difficult to estimate. Some infections, such as syphilis, may directly result in death. By contrast, human papilloma virus (HPV), HIV, and hepatitis more commonly cause death because of secondary sequelae.
Without treatment, syphilis can severely damage the heart, brain or other organs, and can be life-threatening. Syphilis can also be passed from mothers to unborn children.
Those that cause significant kidney disease are of viral origin. The primary VVD are HIV-1, HBV, and HCV. Screening of high-risk populations should include quantitation of proteinuria, including total protein and microalbumin, to assess severity of renal damage and potential for progression.
Neurosyphilis is an infection that affects the coverings of the brain, the brain itself, or the spinal cord. It can occur in people with syphilis, especially if their condition is left untreated.
The most dangerous viral STD is human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), which leads to AIDS. Other incurable viral STDs include human papilloma virus (HPV), hepatitis B and genital herpes. In this presentation, genital herpes will be referred to as herpes.
What is syphilis? Syphilis is a sexually transmitted infection (STI) that can cause serious health problems without treatment. Infection develops in stages (primary, secondary, latent, and tertiary). Each stage can have different signs and symptoms.
Sexually transmitted diseases usually affect initially the genitals, the reproductive tract, the urinary tract, the oral cavity, the anus, or the rectum but may mature in the body to attack various organs and systems.
Some untreated STIs can also lead to infertility, organ damage, certain types of cancer or death.
HIV: Human immunodeficiency virus, or HIV, attacks the immune system, the natural defense against illness. HIV causes AIDS (acquired immunodeficiency syndrome).
Late-stage chlamydia refers to an infection that has spread to other parts of the body. For example, it may have spread to the cervix (cervicitis), testicular tubes (epididymitis), eyes (conjunctivitis), or throat (pharyngitis), causing inflammation and pain.
The incubation period for primary syphilis is 14 to 21 days. Symptoms of primary syphilis are: Small, painless open sore or ulcer (called a chancre) on the genitals, mouth, skin, or rectum that heals by itself in 3 to 6 weeks. Enlarged lymph nodes in the area of the sore.
Manageable STIs are becoming more and more like other chronic conditions, things that you have to keep an eye on your entire life, but don't necessarily shorten your lifespan or stop you from doing things — kind of like diabetes! Even people who have manageable STIs live long lives, and have lots of fun and safe sex.
Increased risk of organ damage, disease, and cancer
Untreated STDs can grow unchecked for years in your body and cause potentially serious or deadly diseases to develop. For example, someone with HPV can get cervical or anal cancer, while syphilis can cause blindness, dementia, and heart or kidney damage.
Secondary-stage syphilis can cause fever, fatigue, loss of appetite, and weight loss. (the skin and whites of the eyes turn yellow), and urine become dark. Some have headaches or problems with hearing, balance, or vision because the brain, inner ears, or eyes are infected.
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. You might also pass the disease on to other people.
Like HBV, sexual intercourse can also spread Hepatitis C virus (HCV), which is carried by blood, semen, and other bodily fluid. Unfortunately, there is no HCV vaccine to protect from getting HCV, though there are treatments available. This STD also can lead to liver failure and death.
Even when it causes no symptoms, chlamydia can damage a woman's reproductive organs. In women, the bacteria first infect the cervix (structure that connects the vagina or birth canal to the uterus or womb) and/or the urethra (urine canal).
Some of the health complications that arise from STDs include pelvic inflammatory disease, infertility, tubal or ectopic pregnancy, cervical cancer, and perinatal or congenital infections in infants born to infected mothers.
HIV infection increases the risk of kidney damage and syphilis, and syphilis infection increases the risk of HIV, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
There are several ways that bacteria can make their way up into your pelvic organs, and chlamydia and gonorrhea are the two primary culprits. If you don't recognize the existence of either of these STDs and seek treatment, the infection can spread up into your reproductive organs, which is what causes the pelvic pain.
HIV. It's no surprise that HIV is deadly. Given the amount of ink devoted to the perils of HIV and AIDS, it's common knowledge that HIV is an extremely harmful disease.
Incurable STDs. Currently, there are 4 sexually transmitted infections (STIs or STDs) that are not curable: herpes (HSV), hepatitis B (HBV), human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), and human papillomavirus (HPV).
Syphilis. This is a potentially life-threatening bacterial infection from vaginal, anal or oral sex. It can spread if the sores caused by syphilis touch the skin of a healthy person.