Hello and welcome to the zero to finals podcast.

My name is Tom and in this episode I'm going to be talking to you about syphilis.

And you can find written notes on this topic at zero definals.com slash syphilis

or in the genitone urinary medicine section of the zero-definals obstetrics and gynecology book.

So let's get straight into it.

Siphilis is caused by a bacteria called trepanema palidum.

This bacteria is a spirochete, a type of spiral-shaped bacteria.

The bacteria gets in through the skin or the mucus membranes,

replicates and then disseminate throughout the body. It's mainly a sexually transmitted infection.

The incubation period between the initial infection and symptoms is 21 days on average.

Let's talk about transmission.

Siphilis can be contracted through oral, vaginal or anal sex involving direct contact with an

infected area, vertical transmission from mother to baby during pregnancy,

intravenous drug use, or blood transfusions or other transplants,

although this is rare due to screening of blood products.

Let's talk about the stages.

Primary syphilis involves a painless ulcer called a shanker at the original site of infection,

usually on the genitals. Secondary syphilis involves systemic symptoms, particularly on the skin and the mucous membranes. These symptoms can resolve after three to 12 weeks, at which point

the patient enters the latent

stage.

Latent syphilis occurs after the secondary stage of syphilis, where symptoms disappear

and the patient becomes asymptomatic despite still being infected.

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