A spirochetes bacteria, Treponema pallidum is the causative organism for this disease. Syphilis is a bacterial infection that is usually spread by sexual contact. It starts as a painless sore that appears mostly on the genitals and mouth. If untreated, syphilis progresses in stages and can lead to heart and brain damage and even death.
Treponoma pallidum, the causative organism of syphilis is an anaerobe. It is killed at once by drying and it remains alive in blood obtained for transfusion for only 72 hours.
Other methods of transmission of syphilis, besides unprotected sex include blood-transfusion, tattooing and kissing if there are active sores in the mouth.
In the UK, there were 9,535 diagnoses of early-stage syphilis in 2024 compared to 9,375 diagnoses in 2023.
The intensity of the infection, the manifestation and the progression has a lot to do with the individual’s immunity status. It has been observed that people with poor immunity progress rapidly into the secondary and tertiary stages of the disease, whereas those with stronger immunity remain in the primary stage for longer and often recover completely with the help of a little medication.
Primary stage of syphilis
About 3 weeks (although the range is from 10 to 90 days) after being infected with syphilis, a sore (chancre) that is usually painless often appears on the genitals. This first stage in the course of syphilis is referred to as the primary stage. The chancre usually heals without treatment in 3 to 6 weeks. If syphilis is not treated during the primary stage, it often progresses to later stages.
Secondary stage of syphilis
In the secondary stage of syphilis, a skin rash will usually develop about 2 to 8 weeks after the chancre appears. The symptoms usually disappear without treatment within two months.
Latent (hidden) stage of syphilis
After the rash clears, a person may have a period with no symptoms. This symptom-free period is called the latent (hidden) stage. Even though symptoms disappear, the bacteria that cause syphilis remain in the body and begin to damage the internal organs. The latent period may be as brief as 1 year or range from 5 to 20 years.
When is syphilis contagious?
A person is contagious during the primary and secondary stages and may still be contagious during the early part of the latent stage. During this time, symptoms of the second stage of syphilis may reappear. This is called a relapse and can occur several times.
Tertiary (late) stage of syphilis
If not detected and treated, it may then progress to the tertiary (late) stage, the most destructive stage of syphilis. During this stage, syphilis may cause serious blood vessel and heart problems, mental disorders, blindness, nerve system problems, and even death.
It may begin as early as 1 year after infection or at any time during the infected person’s life. About one-third of untreated people who are infected with syphilis will have the complications of tertiary (late) syphilis. Any organ system (such as the central nervous system) may become involved.
Complications of tertiary (late) syphilis
- Gummata, which are large sores inside the body or on the skin
- Cardiovascular syphilis, which affects the heart and blood vessels
- Neurosyphilis, which affects the nervous system.
Gummata of syphilis
Gummata are growths of pink, fleshy tissue that contain syphilis bacteria. They may appear as nodules or ulcers or become masses that are like tumours. Gummata are rare. When they do occur, they range from 1 mm to 1 cm in size.
Common sites of gummata
- Skin, where they cause shallow open sores that heal slowly.
- Mucous membranes. These gummas may become cancerous.
- Bones, where they cause destruction of bones and pain that is especially severe at night.
- Eyes, resulting in visual impairment that may lead to blindness.
- Respiratory system, where they cause hoarseness, breathing problems, and wheezing.
- Gastrointestinal system, where they cause stomach pain, inability to eat large meals, belching and weight loss.
Cardiovascular syphilis
Cardiovascular syphilis refers to the infection of the heart and related blood vessels by the syphilis bacteria. This complication usually begins as an inflammation of the arteries. Destruction caused by cardiovascular syphilis can be life-threatening.
Complications of cardiovascular syphilis
- Narrowing of the blood vessels that supply blood to the heart, which may lead to chest pain (angina), heart attack and possibly death.
- Damage to heart valves that may lead to heart failure.
- Aortic aneurysm. If a vessel becomes weak enough, it can rupture and cause death.
Treatment that cures the syphilis infection will stop the progress of cardiovascular syphilis but the damage that has already occurred may not be reversed.
Neurosyphilis
Neurosyphilis refers to the infection of the brain and spinal cord by the syphilis bacteria. This can lead to destruction in many areas of the nervous system, causing loss of function of a person’s arms or legs, loss of vision and altered mental abilities. Neurosyphilis can affect many different body systems and may develop over an extended period of time.
Symptoms of neurosyphilis
- Personality changes, such as confusion and irritability.
- Hearing loss.
- Vision problems.
- Decreased ability to concentrate.
- Memory loss.
- Difficulty speaking or understanding speech.
- Tremor of the fingers and lips.
- Mild headaches.
- Disorderly appearance.
Congenital syphilis
Congenital syphilis refers to syphilis passed from the mother to the baby during pregnancy or during labour and delivery. Congenital syphilis can cause serious complications in newborns and children.
Infection during pregnancy can lead to miscarriage, stillbirth or a child born with congenital syphilis – where the child tends to have a high forehead, saddle-shaped nose and peg-shaped teeth. An infant born with congenital syphilis may also have damage to the retina and interstitial keratitis.
Syphilis symptoms
The manifestations are different at every stage of the disease as follows.
1. Acquired syphilis symptoms
The infection is usually acquired from a sexual partner who is in the infectious stage (which usually lasts up to 2 years) of this disease. In the first or primary stage of syphilis, a painless chancre or punched-out ulcer appears at the site of infection, within a month after exposure. Any fluid oozing out of the chancre is highly contagious. Regional lymphadenopathy which is the swelling of nearby lymph nodes also occurs.
2. Secondary syphilis symptoms
The secondary stage sets in after nearly two months and is characterised by a general rash on the skin and mucous membranes, which is coppery red in appearance and non-itching. The rash is symmetrical and can be in many forms, shapes and sizes, roseolar, macular, papular and pustular.
A highly infectious wart-like lesion develops on the genitals and painless punched out ulcers develop in the mouth. Severe symmetrical pain is experienced in all joints without noticeable swelling and there is a night-time increase in pain. These are also accompanied by fever, malaise, enlarged lymph nodes, etc, which usually subside on their own, within a month
3. Tertiary syphilis symptoms
In the third or tertiary stage, the disease progresses silently within the internal organs without manifesting in any external signs or symptoms. This stage can actually persist for nearly 30 years. In this stage, nodular lesions called syphilitic gummata develop under the skin, in the mucous membranes or within the internal organs such as the liver, heart, kidneys, bones and other visceral organs, ultimately resulting in death.
‘Neurosyphilis’ occurs in nearly 15% of the tertiary cases and is called tabes dorsalis. Lack of muscular coordination, urinary incontinence and degeneration of the reflexes may be present; psychosis known as general paralysis of the insane may follow.
Herbs that can help to fight the syphilis disease
- Andrographis
- Ashwagandha
- Astragalus
- Banderol
- Blood root
- Blue flag
- Burdock root
- Caraway seeds
- Cat’s claw
- Cloves
- Coccinia
- Dandelion root
- Echinacea
- Elderberry flowers
- Fagara
- Ginger Thomas
- Gotu kola
- Japanese knotweed
- Land caltrop
- Linden
- Liquorice root
- Mandrake
- Moringa
- Nasturtium
- Olive leaf extract
- Oregon grape root
- Phyllanthus amarus
- Pine needle tea
- Plantain
- Poke root
- Prickly ash
- Red clover
- Sarsaparilla
- Sassafras
- Stephania root
- Suma
- Yellow dock
NOTE: It is important to always get tested after any type of treatment to ensure it has worked, and all former partners must be informed.
Unfortunately, most sexually transmitted infections are blood -borne so there are few natural remedies powerful enough to fight these infections by themselves. However, they may help reduce the severity and progression of the disease.
A healthy diet, which will strengthen the immune system, can also help to prevent and assist in the conventional treatment of these diseases.
In most cases, only powerful antibiotics will work and these need to be administered by injection. Over the counter or online bought antibiotics will not be effective and must be avoided as they can cause mutations in the bacteria rendering them resistant to all antibiotics. This has happened in the case of gonorrhoea.
Tests must always be done after any kind of treatment to ensure the infection has gone, before engaging in any sexual activity, otherwise it can be unwittingly passed on to others and, in some cases, untreated STIs can lead to serious complications later on.
Natural foods containing plenty of fibre and the required vitamin, phytonutrient and mineral levels will enable the body to resist infection from bacteria, fungi and yeast, parasites or viruses. Consume fruit and vegetables of all colours to gain the benefits of these nutritional pigments. See>> Colour codes of nature
Try to avoid all refined and processed foods, any foods with additive E numbers such as aspartame, alcohol, coffee, fizzy drinks, sugar, table salt (use Himalayan pink crystals), white flour and white rice (choose whole grains and brown or wild rice). This will help the immune system fight off all infections.
Related subjects
- A-Z of ailments
- A-Z of hazards to health
- Anti-microbial healing plants and foods
- Bacterial infections and natural antibiotics
- Chlamydia
- Fungal and yeast infections
- Genital herpes
- Genital warts
- Gonorrhoea
- Hepatitis virus infection
- Human immunodeficiency virus HIV AIDS
- Human papilloma virus infection (HPV)
- Infertility
- Mosquito-borne infections
- Parasites
- Pregnancy and childbirth
- Pubic lice (‘crabs’)
- Sexually transmitted infections
- Syphilis
- Thrush
- Virus infections
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