Syphilis is a chronic disease that is usually sexually transmitted and can affect the skin and many internal organs. It is characterized by a special lesion called chancre that occurs at the entry point of the agent after an incubation period of approximately 25-30 days (may vary between 10-90 days) and subsequent lymph node enlargement. Although chancre is in the genital area in most patients, it can also occur in other areas of the body. It has a hard surface and heals without leaving any scars. It can be skipped because it is painless. Soft chancre, which causes wounds in this area, should be differentiated from diseases such as Behçet's disease and herpes infection.
After the chancre heals, the septicemia period begins in which the disease spreads to the blood, which is the most contagious period. The agent spreads to both the skin and internal organs during this period. Skin rashes accompany symptoms such as fever, sore throat, fatigue. Copper-red rashes occur and these lesions are highly contagious. During this period, the disease can be confused with many diseases, which is why syphilis is called "the great imitator" in medical books. The syphilis lesion observed in the genital area is condyloma lata, and these lesions are also highly contagious. In this second period, patients may experience moth-eaten hair loss areas.
The skin lesions of the disease heal within 2 weeks without leaving a scar, even if they are not treated. Meanwhile, the patient enters the period of positive tests without clinical symptoms, which we call latent syphilis.
It develops in approximately one-third of untreated patients. It may occur 5-20 years after the onset of the disease. Bone tissue, cardiovascular system, neurological involvement is observed in this stage.
Syphilis can also occur as a congenital disease, transmitted from mother to baby. .
As can be seen from the above, syphilis is an important public health problem in all countries of the world. There is an increase in the number of syphilis cases with the development of economic, cultural and touristic foreign relations. Treatment and follow-up of current cases, screening tests in areas where people live together such as schools and military offices, and requesting tests in suspicious cases will increase the frequency of diagnosis of the disease.
In the genital area. Showing the lesions to a dermatologist immediately reduces the possibility of the disease becoming chronic and spreading. It will reduce the amount.
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