Syphilis

Obviously I am obsessed with 'crusty crotch' diseases. As part of our blogging assignment, we were supposed to add a fact sheet on a disease we have previously studied. Better late than never eh?

I have resisted the urge to post unsettling pictures of infected body parts!!

Infectious Disease Fact Sheet
Name of Disease	Syphilis
Name of causative agent	Treponema Pallidum
Type of microbe	Bacterium
Gram-reaction	Negative
Cell shape & arrangement	Spiral shape
Epidemiology:
Geographic Prevalence	World wide
Reservoirs	Humans
Main transmission mode	Sexual/Blood contact with an infected person                                 Trans placenta in cases of congenital syphilis
Pathology:
Major tissues/organs affected	Dependent on the stage of the disease
Major signs/symptoms	Primary - Small painless spot on the area of infection      Secondary - rash on the palms of hands/soles of feet/back/genitals                                                                                                   Latent - No symptoms present                                                     Tertiary - Extensive damage to internal organs or soft tissue. Gummas (large ulcerated spots with are reluctant to heal)
Sequalae	Scaring to areas affected, death
Latency	Dependent on the stage of the disease
Treatment:
Main treatment methods	Antibiotics
Typical length of treatment	Dependent on the stage of the disease.
Prophylactic measures	Abstain from sexual contact, monogamy, condoms (though not effective if the sore is not covered by the condom)