1. What is the disease syphilis? Syphilis is a serious sexually transmitted disease. Fortunately, nowadays the disease has a good treatment. It is caused by rod-shaped bacteria called treponema pallidum. Once spread, the disease begins its course and progresses to paralysis, impaired consciousness to psychosis and insanity, and can also cause death in complications. In the middle of the 20th century, when penicillin was discovered, the disease became extremely rare and almost disappeared in Western Europe. Statistics show that the disease in the 21st century spontaneously developed a significant rise in the number of patients, but in 2010 specially created European treatment programs reduced the number of patients to a minimum. Many campaigns are also being developed with the help of the European Union, which have an educational purpose for the younger generations. The figures show a significant increase in the number of diseases caused by sexual contact between homosexual couples. Congenital Syphilis Until World War II, it was common for babies to be born with congenital syphilis. The transmission was from the mother due to the common blood path she has with her fetus. Children were often born blind, deaf or with serious anatomical malformations. Nowadays, congenital syphilis is a very rare disease, because the screening diagnosis of women in labor is very developed. Amniotic fluid and blood samples are tested, which prove the presence of the disease. In cases where a woman in labor is syphilis positive, intensive and aggressive antibiotic therapy is started to protect the fetus from damage and congenital transmission of the disease. 2. How is syphilis spread? The most common ways of transmitting the disease are through vaginal, anal and oral sex. In practice, the disease can only be transmitted when a mucosal wall of one partner touches a mucous wall of the other partner. At one time, there were myths that syphilis could be transmitted by touching common surfaces – forks, spoons, toilet bowls and others. But in this way, the direct contact between the two mucous membranes is broken, which, through blood, ensures the spread and development of the disease. NEWS_MORE_BOX 3. What are the symptoms of the disease? Between 9 and 90 days after contamination by the pathogenic microorganisms, the first sign of the disease appears. Clinically, it is manifested by the appearance of a painless lump, which is the size of a 1 lev coin, localized on the penis, anus or on the labia. It can also form on the front lips or on the buttocks, depending on the practiced sexual contact. In fair-skinned people, the lump has a bright red color. In darker people, the lump may turn brown or very dark in color. Gradually, the initial lump developed into a severe and painful sore. It is characteristic of the disease that the clinical picture has periods of exacerbation and remissions. In this order, the lump may disappear after a few days, but this does not mean that a permanent cure has occurred.Gradually, the disease develops again, usually after several months. The clinical picture of secondary syphilitic infection begins with soreness and inflammation in the throat, itching all over the body, fever and general malaise. If the disease remains untreated and unspecified, it can progress to its third stage. The bacteria then begin to attack vital organs, including the brain. This is the main reason why patients with similar initial clinical signs are advised to consult a doctor quickly and have microbiological clarification of the finding. The diagnosis is made after taking samples from the lesion or lump and examining it under a microscope, as well as through a blood test that proves the presence of the pathogens in the blood plasma. 4. What treatment is given? Immediately after diagnosis and verification of the infectious pathogen, the patient is placed on therapy with injectable antibiotics, which requires a hospital stay of several days until the entire course of treatment is completed. A penicillin antibiotic is usually administered, but sometimes it is necessary to choose another type of antibiotic medication. One of the reasons for this may be the presence of an allergy to penicillin antibiotics. An important consequence is that, regardless of the complete cure of syphilis, patients may remain temporarily because of the incomplete destruction of the bacteria. This requires control regarding sexual contacts after developing the disease. Patients are advised to inform their sexual partners so that they can do the necessary tests and start therapy before the disease reaches its peak in its development.This requires control regarding sexual contacts after developing the disease. Patients are advised to inform their sexual partners so that they can do the necessary tests and start therapy before the disease reaches its peak in its development.This requires control regarding sexual contacts after developing the disease. Patients are advised to inform their sexual partners so that they can do the necessary tests and start therapy before the disease reaches its peak in its development.