By now you have known that syphilis is an STD that can generally be transmitted through sexual contact. It is a communicable disease, development of which is sure but may appear in an irregular manner. It is generally transmitted through direct contact of the infected genitals, and rarely by other means. It can damage any tissue or organ.

Primary syphilis is the stage where the Treponema Palladium spirochete enters the body which begins at the where the infectious sore directly touched; sometimes it does not show any remarkable symptom. Reviewing the medical history of the patient will reveal that the contact with an infected person happened 1-8 weeks before. The normal lesion is characterized by a chancre, a firm painless wound, the spot of the first exposure, most frequently, the penis, the labia or the uterine cervix.

The incubation takes on average 21 days, and it depends on more factors. The chancre begins with slight erosion, which changes rapidly into a superficial, painless ulceration. It is accompanied by hypertrophy of regional ganglions, which are isolated, mobile, and painless.

Secondary syphilis represents the dissemination period; it emerges at 7 - 10 weeks after the infecting contact and at 2 - 3 weeks since the occurrence of the primary syphilis sign, in the same time with microbes’ migration from ganglions where their number is big into circulation. A second incubation follows until the emergence of the first skin lesions, which occur after about 45 days since the first sign occurrence and 60 - 70 days since the infecting contact.

The patient will sometimes develop fever. Any tissue of the body can be affected and damaged. However, most of the lesion will appear in the teguments and mucous membranes. Tegument lesions will look like pustules despite its being akin to rashes caused by a viral disease.

Syphilis will occur recurrently if not diagnosed and treated correctly. This is when the infection will progress to the next stage, the secondary syphilis, 3 to 9 months after treatment. Relapses can be happening in the blood without any developing any outward symptoms. If manifestations appear, lesions will appear in the skin and mucous membranes. There will also be neurological and visceral symptoms, sore eyes; bones will be affected.

Latent syphilis represents a calm stage from clinical point of view, between secondary lesions resorption and tertiary symptoms emergence.

During this stage, the serologic reaction is positive, the LCR exam is negative; the radiological and clinical exam and the ECG highlight possible cardiovascular lesions.

The third stage of the infection or tertiary syphilis can emerge even after years of latency. At the late latency stage, lesions might appear perhaps as an allergic reaction of the tissue to Treponema Palladium, affecting tissues of the skin and the mucous membranes. Small lesions can develop and become nodules. The mucous membranes can also develop tubercles and lesions.

Congenital syphilis can be transmitted nowadays from mother to fetus, via fetus placenta flow, therefore during the baby’s intrauterine life. It cannot be transmitted from the father if the mother is healthy.

Precocious congenital syphilis is the type with which the child is born or it occurs during the first two years of life. It is characterized by blister like signs, sometimes ulcerous.

Late congenital syphilis sets off after two years from birth and the lesions that will appear denote that the disease is already in its third stage.

Gonorrhea, also known as Neisseria Gonorrheae, is a bacterial infection. It is also known under the name of “clap”, and many other names received in time. They are well to be known, no matter where they come from. Gonorrhea is a widely spread infection and the transmissibility levels are high. This type of infection mainly affects the genital area, meaning the vagina, anus, and penis, but it can also have a nasty effect on the throat.

The disease is caused by the bacterium Neisseria Gonorrhoea and can be primarily transferred through sexual activities with an infected partner. Sexual contact right before or after the woman’s menstruation period makes it easier for the bacteria to be transmitted.

However the bacteria may not only be transferred through sexual contact. There are other ways by which a healthy person can contract the disease without having sex.

The Neisseria Gonorrhoea bacteria can live outside the human body for a few minutes. So girls and guys, beware of trying on other people under garments. Using contaminated items such as towels, toilet seats and touching the infected genital area can be as lethal as an actual sexual contact.

If you have a penchant for using erotic toys, just go through the procedure of sanitizing these items before introducing them to your vagina or anus. Even just an infected finger could have really grave consequences.

The mother can also pass on the disease to the baby during delivery as the baby passes through the birth canal. These are some of the other ways the disease can be passed on.

Gonorrhoea is a very hazardous disease which can have devastating irreversible effects if not diagnosed and treated early. It can cause infertility for both men and women. The disease can also spread to other parts of the body through the blood and affect the other organs.

It is not an easy bearable disease, because the symptoms are hard to handle, that is why as soon as they appear, the individual must contact a doctor. Either a gynecologist, if the infected person is a woman, or an urologist, or the family doctor who can recommend a specialist. No matter whom you go to, the important thing is that you treat it, and do not wait at all, as soon as you might suspect this infection to be present in your body.

As an old saying goes, an ounce of prevention is better than a pound of cure. So the most ideal situation is for you not to catch the infection. Using condoms consistently and correctly is an excellent precautionary measure. You should also be extra careful when using other people’s restroom or public restrooms.