Research Paper On Syphilis

Syphilis
Caitlin Evans
Roane State Community College

Abstract What comes to your mind when you hear the word Syphilis? It’s a sexually transmitted disease; it is only transmitted while having sex; once you have it you will always have it, etc. While most of these answers are true, there are multiple ways of transmission. Syphilis occurs in four different stages: the primary, secondary, latent, and tertiary stage. Each stage effects the oral cavity and body in different ways. Congenital syphilis falls into its own category and displays some of the same effects as syphilis. There are several tests that can confirm the diagnosis of syphilis. Treatment options are available at any stage of syphilis with a positive diagnosis.
It is a spirochete which cannot survive outside of the human body that seeps out of moist lesions during contact. Treponema pallidum penetrates the mucous membranes when a break in the skin occurs. The spirochete is transmitted by direct contact from one person to another. Genital transmission is the most common path of syphilis. Syphilis can also be transferred by infected blood or from an infected mother to fetus. This is known as congenital syphilis. Syphilis occurs in four stages: the primary stage, the secondary stage, the latent stage and the tertiary
A nontreponemal test will detect the immune reaction to the syphilis infection but does not detect the presence of the T. pallidum spirochete. The second test used for syphilis is treponemal test. The treponemal test confirms the presence of the antibodies due to the actual spirochete T. pallidum. The presumptive diagnosis is used when syphilis is suspected by a physical exam. Scraping of any ulcerated area and using a special dark field microscope can give a positive diagnosis of syphilis. Dark field microscopy is used when a chancre is present in early syphilis. This type of microscope is not readily available, so a blood test must be performed to screen for