Underneath the t-shirt
are syphilis rashes.
It's not a good look.
Get checked for syphilis.
Underneath the t-shirt
are syphilis rashes.
It's not a good look.
You know your body well. If something is not right, you know it first. Be mindful of changes with your body—check for sores or rashes and be aware of sores on your partner. These are the first visible signs of infection and can appear on the penis, anus, or inside the mouth or rectum.
There are different stages of syphilis, each with different signs and symptoms. Although rare in early infection, serious organ damage can occur at any stage:
Primary syphilis
Secondary syphilis
Latent syphilis
Late syphilis
Syphilis is most often diagnosed with blood tests.
A syphilis test takes a vial of blood. Laboratories look for two things:
Together, this information helps to determine if someone has a new syphilis infection.
A rapid syphilis test is available for use in community settings. This test uses a small sample of blood from the finger. It detects antibodies to syphilis. It is a screening test, and is less effective than standard blood tests at detecting newer infections (primary syphilis). It can’t tell a new infection from a previous, treated infection. A positive rapid test must be followed by a standard blood test to confirm diagnosis.
Syphilis is easily cured with an injectable form of penicillin (an antibiotic). If a syphilis infection is not treated early and lasts for a year or longer, the person will need more than one injection.
Syphilis causes open sores. If you're exposed to HIV while you have sores, the risk of an HIV infection increases. Anyone diagnosed with syphilis should also be tested for HIV. HIV-negative people diagnosed with a new syphilis infection should seek education on PrEP. Anyone at high-risk for HIV can benefit from prevention services, routine medical care, access to condoms, and ongoing screenings.
Someone with both HIV and syphilis is more likely to transmit HIV to sex partners. Anyone with HIV who is sexually active should be tested for syphilis at least annually, and more frequently depending on their sexual practices.
Yes. PrEP is used to prevent HIV. It does not protect against syphilis and other STDs. In addition to routine STD screening, PrEP users at risk of syphilis or other STDs should use condoms to reduce their risk.
High-risk HIV-negative people diagnosed with a new syphilis infection should receive education and referral for PrEP. Those at high-risk for HIV can benefit from linkage to prevention services, routine medical care, access to condoms and ongoing screenings.
Remember, having syphilis once does not prevent someone from getting re-infected. It’s important to take steps to reduce your risk of infection or reinfection. These are the steps you can take to reduce the risk of getting syphilis, other STDs or HIV: