Table of contents:
- Symptoms of syphilis in women in the first stage
- Reddish sores (Chancre)
- Symptoms of syphilis in women in the secondary stage
- A reddish rash appears on the skin
- Symptoms of syphilis in women in the third stage (latent)
- There are no visible physical symptoms other than damage to internal organs
- Symptoms of syphilis in women in the late stages (recurrence)
Syphilis is a sexually transmitted disease caused by infection with the Treponema pallidum bacteria. Just like other sexually transmitted diseases, syphilis can be spread through various types of sexual contact, such as when kissing.
Syphilis, also known as king lion disease, can also be spread from an infected mother to an unborn fetus or to a baby at birth. Syphilis that is passed from mother to child can increase the risk of miscarriage, stillbirth, or infant death within a few days of birth.
Syphilis can be easily treated, especially if it is detected at an early stage. Therefore, it is very important to be aware of the symptoms of syphilis in women from an early age so that you can get medical help as soon as possible. Once cured, syphilis cannot repeat itself. However, you can get re-infected if you have sexual contact with someone who has syphilis.
Syphilis develops gradually, and symptoms vary with each stage. Symptoms between stages may also overlap with one another, and symptoms don't always occur in the same order. You may be infected with King Singat and not notice any symptoms for years.
Symptoms of syphilis in women in the first stage
Reddish sores (Chancre)
Small, painless, red sores on the labia (outer lip of the vagina) and inside the vagina, rectum (anal opening), or inside the mouth are the earliest suspicions of syphilis. This thrush is called a chancre. Chancre can develop anywhere from 10 to 90 days after the initial infection, with an average time of 21 days after infection until the first symptoms develop.
People with syphilis often miss this thrush, especially if the canker sores appear inside the cervix or inside the vaginal opening. Swollen lymph nodes can occur near the chancre area.
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Chancre usually lasts 3 to 6 weeks, can heal on its own without treatment, and can leave a thin scar. But even if the chancre has healed, traces of syphilis are still in the body and you can still pass the infection on to other people. Syphilis is transmitted through direct contact with these canker sores during sexual activity, including oral sex.
Symptoms of syphilis in women in the secondary stage
A reddish rash appears on the skin
Symptoms of secondary syphilis are characterized by a red, red rash on the skin that appears 2 to 12 weeks after the chancre develops and sometimes before a full recovery. The rash usually consists of flat or slightly raised, reddish-brown, small (less than 2 cm), solid skin lesions that appear all over the body, often appearing on the palms of the hands and / or feet. The rash may look like other common skin problems.
In addition to the rash, small, open sores like moist warts that may be filled with pus may appear on mucous membranes, such as the inside of the mouth or vagina. In people with dark skin, the wound may be a lighter color than the surrounding skin. These skin rashes and warts are highly contagious. The skin rash usually clears up within 2 months on its own without scarring. After healing, skin discoloration may occur. But even if the skin rash has cleared up, traces of syphilis are still there and you can still pass the infection on to other people.
Other symptoms may also occur, which means that the infection has spread throughout the body, for example:
- Mild fever that is less than 38ºC
- Sore throat
- Vague body fatigue or discomfort
- Weight loss
- Hair loss in several parts, especially on the eyebrows, eyelashes, and hair on the top of the head
- Swollen lymph nodes
- Symptoms of nervous system disorders, such as stiff neck, headache, irritability, paralysis (paralysis), unequal reflexes, and irregular pupil size
- White patches on the nose, mouth and vagina
- Joint pain
ALSO READ: 9 Causes of the Appearance of Boils and Lumps on the Vaginal Lips
These symptoms will go away on their own regardless of whether you receive treatment or not. However, without treatment you will still be infected. A person will be very contagious during this secondary stage.
Symptoms of syphilis in women in the third stage (latent)
There are no visible physical symptoms other than damage to internal organs
If left untreated, the infection will progress to a latent (hidden) stage. The latent stage is defined as one year after a person is infected. After the secondary stage rash goes away, the person will have no symptoms for some time. The latent period may be as short as 1 year or range from 5 to 20 years.
Symptoms of syphilis in the third stage are characterized by damage to a number of organ systems and can even be fatal. Tertiary syphilis can cause damage to the brain (causing stroke, mental confusion, meningitis), nerves, eyes, heart, blood vessels, liver, bones, and joints. Symptoms that can result in the late stages of syphilis include problems with movement, gradual loss of vision, dementia, paralysis, and numbness. Neurosypilis is a term used to describe damage to the central nervous system and changes in neurological function. Death can occur as a complication of organ damage.
Often during this stage, an accurate diagnosis can only be made through a blood test, personal medical history, or the birth of a child with congenital syphilis. A person may be contagious during the latent period even if no symptoms are present.
Symptoms of syphilis in women in the late stages (recurrence)
About 20 to 30 out of 100 people with syphilis can develop a recurring infection during the latent stage. A recurring infection means that you are symptom free of syphilis but then start experiencing symptoms again. Relapse may occur several times.
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When relapses no longer occur, a person will not pass syphilis through contact. But a woman in the latent stage of syphilis can still pass the infection on to her unborn baby and may have a miscarriage, a stillbirth during childbirth, or give birth to a baby with congenital syphilis symptoms.
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