Syphilis infection most often occurs through sexual contact - not only vaginal, but also oral and anal. Much less often, the disease is caused by the transmission of bacteria through a kiss. Infection with syphilis by touch is theoretically possible, but in practice it is extremely rare. See all possible ways of infection with the spirochete bacterium.

Syphilis - how can you get infectedwith this venereal disease? We still often don't know the answer to this question. According to the data of the National Institute of Hygiene, the incidence of syphilis is still growing in Poland - in 2016, over 1,500 people were diagnosed with this disease1 . Ten years earlier, this figure was twice as low. Even newborns are born with syphilis ( although theoretically a pregnant woman should have tests to detect the presence of bacteria causing this disease during these 9 months), the disease occurs in adolescents, but the largest number of infected are adults. How can they become infected with syphilis, and in which cases they do not have to be afraid of it?

How can you catch syphilis?

1. Sexual act - the most common cause of infection

Syphilis is caused by pale spirochete bacteria - when they enter the blood through damaged epidermis. The most comfortable conditions for action are created by the spirochete pale sexual act - oral, vaginal or anal. As a result of mechanical friction during sex, syphilitic changes present on the mucous membranes or skin of an infected person easily enter the body of their partner. The condition that must be met for syphilis infection is damage to the epidermis - unfortunately, it is enough for it to be small, invisible to the "naked eye". The place where this happened is even called the Gate of Infection. Unprotected sex is therefore the main cause of syphilis infection, and in such cases it is referred to as direct acquired syphilis.

2. A kiss with a person with throat lesions - a rare cause of infection

Another example of a direct infection with syphilis is through a kiss, licking or biting the mouth, but only when lesions appear in the throat of an infected person and when there is direct contact with the visible,most often a round and open wound. However, infection in this way occurs in a much smaller number of cases than during sexual contact.

3. Infection caused by an extremely long lifetime of pale spirochete bacteria - an extremely rare cause of infection

Acquired syphilis can also be infected indirectly, but these are extremely rare cases. Infection then occurs as a result of the bacteria retaining pale and long life due to wet conditions. This happens when we use a wet towel, toothbrush or lipstick of a person suffering from syphilis.

In the 15th and 16th centuries, people with syphilis were treated by rubbing mercury and then placing them in a well-heated oven to sweat. In many cases, such treatment resulted in the patient's death.

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Infection with congenital syphilis

A special situation in which syphilis may become infected is when the fetus becomes infected from the mother and the newborn is born sick - in this case we are talking about congenital syphilis. In Poland, such situations should rarely occur, because every expectant mother undergoes obligatory syphilis tests refunded by the National He alth Fund at the beginning and at the end of pregnancy. Despite this, in 2016, 16 babies were born with syphilis. Infected newborns are given intravenous crystalline penicillin, and if allergic - erythromycin.

When does I NOT become infected with syphilis?

There are many situations in which we are concerned about contracting syphilis, but which do not carry the risk. Among them, it is worth mentioning:

  • hugging an infected person;
  • swimming in the pool with an infected person;
  • using the toilet that was also used by the infected person;
  • wearing the same clothes as the infected person;
  • touching the door handle after the infected person;
  • use of the same cutlery as the infected person;
  • drinking from the same glass as the infected person.
Worth knowing

Syphilis tests

Self-diagnosis of syphilis is not easy because its symptoms are not clear-cut, and in the phase of the so-called latent syphilis cannot be observed at all. Therefore, if we suspect that we may have syphilis, it is worth doing a test for the presence (or absence of) of antibodies to the spirochete antigens. The test involves taking blood from a vein - as during normal blood counts - and costs about PLN 10-20.

Treatment of syphilis

Treatment of syphilis consists of administering antibiotics with procaine penicillin.

Factors that increase the riskgetting syphilis

The greater the number of sexual partners, the greater the chance that we will develop syphilis. The risk of getting sick is also increased by having sex without using a condom. It is usually repeated that syphilis is a problem for prostitutes and drug addicts, but it does not mean that it cannot be contracted by anyone who has sex. Homosexual men are a group in which syphilis is more common than others.

How to protect yourself from syphilis?

By far the best way to reduce the risk of contracting syphilis is to use a condom - not only during vaginal intercourse, but also during anal and oral intercourse. The risk of getting sick is also reduced by a small number of sexual partners and the awareness that if we have recovered from syphilis once, it does not mean that we will not get it again.

Sources:

1. A detailed report presenting the incidence of syphilis (and other infectious diseases, as well as poisoning) is available on the website of the National Institute of Hygiene: http://wwwold.pzh.gov.pl/oldpage/epimeld/2016/index_mp.html.

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Intimate diseases