Syphilis how is it tested

The average time between acquisition of syphilis and the start of the first symptom is 21 days, but can range from 10 to 90 days. However, syphilis typically follows a progression of stages that can last for weeks, months, or even years:. The appearance of a single chancre marks the primary first stage of syphilis symptoms, but there may be multiple sores. The chancre is usually but not always firm, round, and painless. It appears at the location where syphilis entered the body.

These painless chancres can occur in locations that make them difficult to notice e. The chancre lasts 3 to 6 weeks and heals regardless of whether a person is treated or not.

However, if the infected person does not receive adequate treatment, the infection progresses to the secondary stage. This stage typically starts with the development of a rash on one or more areas of the body. Rashes associated with secondary syphilis can appear when the primary chancre is healing or several weeks after the chancre has healed.

The rash usually does not cause itching. The characteristic rash of secondary syphilis may appear as rough, red, or reddish brown spots both on the palms of the hands and the bottoms of the feet.

However, rashes with a different appearance may occur on other parts of the body, sometimes resembling rashes caused by other diseases. Sometimes rashes associated with secondary syphilis are so faint that they are not noticed. Large, raised, gray or white lesions, known as condyloma lata, may develop in warm, moist areas such as the mouth, underarm or groin region. In addition to rashes, symptoms of secondary syphilis may include fever, swollen lymph glands, sore throat, patchy hair loss, headaches, weight loss, muscle aches, and fatigue.

The symptoms of secondary syphilis will go away with or without treatment. However, without treatment, the infection will progress to the latent and possibly tertiary stage of disease. The latent hidden stage of syphilis is a period of time when there are no visible signs or symptoms of syphilis.

Without treatment, the infected person will continue to have syphilis in their body even though there are no signs or symptoms. Early latent syphilis is latent syphilis where infection occurred within the past 12 months. Late latent syphilis is latent syphilis where infection occurred more than 12 months ago. Latent syphilis can last for years. Tertiary syphilis is rare and develops in a subset of untreated syphilis infections;, it can appear 10—30 years after infection was first acquired, and it can be fatal.

Tertiary syphilis can affect multiple organ systems, including the brain, nerves, eyes, heart, blood vessels, liver, bones, and joints. Symptoms of tertiary syphilis vary depending on the organ system affected. Syphilis can invade the nervous system neurosyphilis , visual system ocular syphilis , or auditory system otosyphilis at any stage of infection.

These infections can cause a wide range of symptoms. When a pregnant woman has syphilis, the infection can be transmitted to her unborn baby. All pregnant women should be tested for syphilis at the first prenatal visit. Some women need to be tested again during the third trimester 28 weeks gestation and at delivery.

This includes women who live in areas of high syphilis morbidity, are previously untested, had a positive screening test in the first trimester, or are at higher risk for syphilis i. Depending on how long a pregnant woman has been infected, she may have a high risk of having a stillbirth or of giving birth to a baby who dies shortly after birth.

Untreated syphilis in pregnant women results in infant death in up to 40 percent of cases. An infected baby born alive may not have any signs or symptoms of disease. However, if not treated immediately, the baby may develop serious problems within a few weeks.

Untreated babies may become developmentally delayed, have seizures, or die. All babies born to mothers who test positive for syphilis during pregnancy should be screened for syphilis and examined thoroughly for evidence of congenital syphilis. Treponemal tests e. You should avoid having sex or close sexual contact with anyone else until you get your test results.

Read more about what happens at a sexual health clinic. All pregnant women are offered a blood test to check for syphilis, usually at around weeks of pregnancy. A syphilis infection during pregnancy can be very dangerous for the baby, but the screening test can help ensure it's detected and treated as soon as possible. The test can be repeated if there's a risk you may have been exposed to syphilis later in your pregnancy.

Read more about screening for syphilis during pregnancy. Page last reviewed: 07 February Next review due: 07 February The only way to find out if you have syphilis is to get tested. Syphilis tests tell if a person has this infection, or if they've had an infection in the past. They look for antibodies to the bacterium, or germ, that causes syphilis. Some tests look for the syphilis germ itself. Syphilis is a sexually transmitted infection STI.

That means it is spread through sexual contact: vaginal, anal, or oral sex, or sometimes just close physical contact, like foreplay. If you're pregnant and you have syphilis, you can pass the infection to your baby. These tests are usually blood tests. Depending on your symptoms, you may have more tests done on body fluids or tissue samples.

If a first screening test is positive, the lab will run two more tests to be sure you have a syphilis infection. It can take up to 12 weeks from the time you're exposed to syphilis for blood tests to show the infection. Health Tools help you make wise health decisions or take action to improve your health. A syphilis infection can spread through your bloodstream to all parts of your body. Without treatment, syphilis can cause severe heart disease, brain damage, spinal cord damage, blindness, and death.

If you're pregnant, your baby could develop congenital syphilis , and other health problems. There is also a risk of your baby dying before they are born stillbirth. Screening for syphilis and other sexually transmitted infections is often done for people who engage in sexual behaviours that put them at risk.

A test for syphilis is done to:. If you have syphilis, your sex partner or partners should be told, tested, and treated to prevent serious problems and to stop the spread of the disease.

If you think you might have syphilis , do not have sex until testing shows that you are not infected. Tell your doctor if you are, or may be, pregnant. If you have syphilis and are being re-tested, do not have sex until the test results show that you are no longer infected or until you and your sex partner or partners have completed treatment and the infection has been cured.

Your sex partners should be tested and treated as well. A syphilis test may be done on a sample of blood, sore, skin, or spinal fluid, depending on which type of test is done. A health professional uses a needle to take a blood sample, usually from the arm. A sample of fluid or tissue may be taken from an open sore or from a rash that might be caused by syphilis. A spinal tap lumbar puncture is done to collect a spinal fluid sample to test for syphilis when the infection may have spread to the nervous system neurosyphilis.

For a lumbar puncture, a thin needle is inserted into the spinal canal in the lower back. After the needle is in place, a small amount of fluid is removed from the spinal canal.

The blood sample is taken from a vein in your arm. You may feel nothing at all from the needle, or you may feel a quick sting or pinch. When blood is taken from a vein, an elastic band is wrapped around your upper arm and may feel tight. You may feel some discomfort when fluid is collected from an open sore.

But syphilis sores usually aren't very tender or painful. You may feel some discomfort during a lumbar puncture to collect spinal fluid. There is very little chance of having a problem from this test. When a blood sample is taken, a small bruise may form at the site. There is very little risk of problems from having a sample taken from an open sore, skin rash, or mucous membrane.

There is little risk linked with having a lumbar puncture to obtain a spinal fluid sample. Results are usually available in 7 to 10 days.