Syphilis+Presentation+Notes-Faith

=__SYPHILIS AKA "THE GREAT IMITATOR"__=

media type="file" key="syphilis.m4a"

__What is Syphilis?__
 * it is a sexual transmitted disease
 * The route of the disease entering the body is almost always through sexual contact
 * Syphilis can also be transmitted from a mother to a child that is still in the uterus
 * Is often mistaken for other diseases that are not STDs in the beginning stages
 * it is caused by a bacterium called Treponema pallidum

__History__
 * In 1913 the disease was found to be linked to a different type of disease called //[|Treponema pallidum]// which is located in the brain.
 * syphilis mutated from an earlier disease
 * Many famous people in history contracted the disease
 * Adolf Hitler
 * Benito Mussolini
 * Al Capone
 * contracted the disease at a young age and when the disease reached the third stage it has left his confused and disoriented
 * The insanity caused by late-stage syphilis was once one of the more common forms of dementia
 * The first recorded outbreak of syphilis was in Europe in 1494 when it broke out in French troops who might have caught it from Spanish troops
 * The disease swept across Europe and caused many people to die within a few months
 * by 1546 the disease had evolved into symptoms that are seen today

__Syphilis Infection__
 * Primary Syphilis
 * is acquired by sexual contact with a person who already has the disease
 * a hard chancre which is an ulcerated sore with hard edges, indicates the site of the infection
 * after it heals it leaves little scarring
 * After 10-90 days the infection or a skin lesion starts to happen
 * The lesion is a firm, painless skin ulceration that is located at the of initial point of exposure
 * Usually only one lesion but can be more than one
 * this can happen anywhere on the body but is mostly on genitals


 * The lesion is there for 4-6 weeks and then automatically starts to heal
 * during this time the patient is said to by asymptomatic and many do not look for treatment immediately


 * Secondary Syphilis
 * occurs 6-8 weeks or 1-6 months after a person has had the primary infection
 * At the infection sight it is reddish-pink and a rash forms that doesn't itch
 * The rash can include the palms of hands and the soles of feet
 * mucus patches might also appear on the genitals or the mouth
 * hair loss and infectious gray patches on the mucus membrane also occurs
 * these symptoms will also disappear


 * A person is most contagious when they are in the secondary stage
 * symptoms that are part of the secondary stage
 * fever, sore throat, weight loss, headache, along with others
 * Latent Syphilis
 * having proof of having the disease but no symptoms occur
 * They can have the disease for up to 2 years without any infection or signs of symptoms of disease
 * Can be treated by a long acting penicillin
 * Is considered not to be as contagious as secondary syphilis
 * Tertiary Syphilis
 * happens 1-10 years after the initial infection and sometimes can take up to 50 years
 * It last until the person dies
 * tiny soft-like tumors start to form that are called gummas
 * they can appear almost anywhere in the body including the skeleton and organs
 * if syphilis is left untreated 16% of patients start to form gummas
 * can affect the nervous system and results in psychological disturbances
 * Neurosyphilis
 * is an infection that affects the central nervous system (CNS)
 * Can occur at any stage in syphilis
 * Before antibiotics it was seen in 25%-35% of patients with syphilis
 * Is now common in HIV patients
 * Congenital syphilis
 * when syphilis bacteria crosses the placenta and affects an unborn child
 * the child is born blind and/or with many anatomical malformations
 * Other types of syphilis can be found on the link at the bottom

__Prevention__
 * ==**ABSTINENCE**==
 * using a condom can reduce the chances but not eliminate

__Treatment__
 * penicillin

__Facts about Syphilis__
 * In the Unites States in 2006 there were 36,00 cases of syphilis and 9,756 of these people had primary and secondary syphilis
 * half of all syphilis cases were reported from 20 countries and 2 cities and occurred in ages 20 to 39
 * the highest incidents of primary and secondary syphilis was highest in women ages 20-24 and men ages 35-39
 * cases of congenital syphilis in newborns increased from 339 cases in 2005 to 349 in 2006
 * In 2006 64% of cases were among men who have sex with men
 * genital sores/chancres caused by syphilis make it easier to transmit HIV

__**PICTURES CAN BE FOUND IN THE HUMAN BIOLOGY BOOK ON PAGE 338 AND ON THE WIKIPEDIA SITE BELOW**__

__Sources__ http://www.cdc.gov/std/syphilis/STDFact-Syphilis.htm http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Syphilis Human Biology Book