Hormones 2016

Syphilis
The latent stage can continue for many years (even decades) after you first
become infected.
Latent syphilis is rare in the UK. However, without treatment, there is a risk
that latent syphilis will move on to the third, most dangerous stage - third
stage syphilis (NHS, 2014l).
Third stage syphilis, or Tertiary syphilis
Untreated syphilis may, after many years, start to cause serious damage to
the heart, brain, bones and nervous system.
The symptoms of tertiary syphilis can begin years or even decades after
initial infection. Around a third of people who are not treated for syphilis
develop serious symptoms at this stage.
The symptoms of tertiary syphilis will depend on what part of the body
the infection spreads to. For example, it may affect the brain, nerves, eyes,
heart, bones, skin or blood vessels, potentially causing any of the following
symptoms -
• stroke
• dementia
• loss of co-ordination
• numbness
• paralysis
• blindness
• deafness
• heart disease
• skin rashes
At this stage, syphilis can be dangerous enough to cause death (fpa, 2014h).
Tertiary syphilis also has effects on the skeleton, specifically the skull. I have
seen skulls from Anglo-Saxon people who have died of tertiary syphilis and
had the skull surface eroded away leaving patches of roughened bone as
compared to the rest of the skull.
How will I know if I have it?
You can only be certain you have syphilis if you have a test. If you think you
might have syphilis it is important that you dont delay getting a test. Even
if you dont have symptoms you may wish to be tested, particularly if -
• you, or a partner, think you might have symptoms
• you have recently had unprotected sex with a new partner
• you, or a partner, have had unprotected sex with other partners
• a sexual partner tells you they have a sexually transmitted infection
• you have another sexually transmitted infection
• you are pregnant or planning a pregnancy.
391
Version 2016.3576– – Document LATEXed – 1st May 2016
[git] • Branch: 1.5 @ 26b5e6d • Release: 1.5 (2016-05-01)