Syphilis has f our stages in its inf ection, the primary, secondary, latent, and tertiary, not including the congenital or inherited syphilis. Of these f our stages, many signs and symptoms can appear, which could of ten mislead suf f erers as the presentation is varied, earning the inf ection the name “the great imitator”.

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Syphilis Symptoms in Men & Women: How to Know If You
Have It?
STD Tips
Octo ber 10, 2013
Syphilis has f our stages in its inf ection, the primary, secondary, latent,
and tertiary, not including the congenital or inherited syphilis. Of these
f our stages, many signs and symptoms can appear, which could of ten
mislead suf f erers as the presentation is varied, earning the inf ection the
name “the great imitator”. Syphilis symptoms appear in men and women,
with subtle variations depending on the point of sexual contact.
Main Article
What are the dif f erent syphilis symptoms that can appear in men and
women? Does syphilis present itself dif f erently depending on the
gender? Can a person know if he or she has the inf ection just by basing
on the symptoms?
T hese are but a f ew of the questions some people might ask themselves. As syphilis is a sexually
transmitted inf ection, it can occur in both heterosexual and homosexual males and f emales. T here are
thousands of cases reported in each year, with more and more cases reported in worldwide. With the rate
of unprotected promiscuous sex people are having, this rate will undoubtedly go even higher. Should people
rely on symptoms alone?
A Brief Look at Syphilis
Syphilis is a sexually-transmitted disease or inf ection caused by Treponema pallidum, a spirochete
bacterium. T he bacterium is called a spirochete by the way it resembles a spiral or coiled spring.
T his coiled bacterium enters the body primarily through unprotected sexual contact. Alternatively, the
bacteria and the syphilis inf ection can be passed onto a newborn baby by his or her mother, who has
untreated syphilis bef ore or during her pregnancy. Another mode of transmission, though lesser in
occurrence, is by blood transf usion or blood contact, which also includes sharing of needles or cutting
implements such as shaving razors, tweezers, or nail clippers. T hough the chance of inf ection is lower
through blood contact, the risk is still there and should not be ignored.
T he main point of concern, though, has always been unprotected sexual contact with multiple partners.
Promiscuity coupled with reckless sexual habits is the number one cause f or the rise of ST Ds, with syphilis
being one of them. New cases are reported in daily all over the world, totaling in at an astounding 50,000 or
more in the United States alone. If that seems surprising, it should be noted that this is the number f or
reported cases only, and does not ref lect those who are not aware that they are inf ected with the disease.
The Great Imitator
It might seem ridiculous to ask, but why is it that some people are caught unaware that they are inf ected
with syphilis? T his is because the signs and symptoms of syphilis are varied, with people sometimes
even presenting as asymptomatic, or without any symptoms of syphilis. T his, along with the nature of the
disease that it presents with dif f erent signs and symptoms depending on the stage of the current inf ection
has earned it the other colloquial name of “the great imitator”.

2. It was Sir William Osler who coined the other name, basing it on the dif f erent syphilis symptoms in its
second stage. Some of the signs and symptoms that could present are:
• Palmar rash
• Rash on the soles of the f eet
• Sore throat
• Body malaise
• Fever
• Hair loss
• Headache
• Weight loss
T here are even rare signs and symptoms such as:
• Hepatitis
• Arthritis
• Kidney disease
• Periostitis
• Uveitis
• Optic neuritis
• Interstitial keratitis
With these many possible signs and symptoms, it is easy to mistake syphilis to be another disease, or not
to think that the person is inf ected with syphilis at all.
Signs and Symptoms of Syphilis For Every Stage
T he dif f erent syphilis symptoms appear in one of the f our categorized stages, which are the primary,
secondary, early and late latent (collectively known as the latent stage), and the tertiary stages. Here are
the f our stages and the dif f erent signs and symptoms associated with each of them:
Primary Stage – T his is the f irst stage of inf ection, and is characteristically associated with the
appearance of a chancre. A chancre is is a skin lesion that looks red and ulcerated, like a crater with a
f leshy wound. Despite its appearance, however, most chancres are non-painf ul, with some people
not even noticing its presence, especially if the chancre f ormed on a place not of ten seen.
T his is because chancres f orm at the point of contact between the
inf ected lesion and the other partner. As sexual contact is the main
point of contact, chancres appear in dif f erent areas between men and
women. Most women f orm chancres on the cervix, or on or around the
vulva. Heterosexual males get the chancre along the penis, while
homosexual males may also present with a chancre along the rectum
or anal sphincter. T hough these are the common sites of chancres,
there have been cases of people f orming chancres outside the genital
region, such as their f ingers, f eet, or elsewhere on the body. T hese
lesions are inf ectious, and contact with them could transf er the
disease.
Typically, only a single chancre appears, and it varies in size or diameter. However, multiple chancres may
appear in people with a compromised immune system, such as those with a pre-existing HIV inf ection.
Secondary Stage – Syphilis reaches the secondary stage in around week or two, with the
af orementioned list of syphilis symptoms in men and women. Like in primary stage, suf f erers in the
secondary stage are also inf ectious, which could f urther throw of f suspicion if the presenting
symptoms appear harmless.

3. Typically, however, secondary symptoms mostly involve the f ormation of f lat, red or pink rashes on the
palms or soles of the f eet. T hese are non-itchy and non-painf ul. Sometimes, the rashes also appear on
the trunk, arms, and legs. Like chancres, these rashes are also f illed with the spirochete bacteria and are,
theref ore, inf ectious upon contact.
Latent Stage – T he latent stage, especially the late latent stage, which starts a year or two
af ter the initial inf ection, is marked by a decrease in inf ectiousness of the person, as well as a
signif icant asymptomatic presentation of most syphilis suf f erers. Asymptomatic means
“without symptoms”, though during the early latent stage, the f lat rashes f rom the secondary
stage become bumpy nodules, and can cover most of the body, including the back and even
the f ace. T hese lesions that appear during the early latent stage are still somewhat inf ectious,
though not as inf ectious as the lesions f ound in the primary and secondary stages.
Tertiary Stage – T he last stage of syphilis occurs af ter years of being lef t untreated. Some
patients show tertiary stage signs of syphilis af ter 3 years, while there are those who show
the signs only af ter 10 years or more of the initial inf ection. T he tertiary stage is f urther
divided into three categories, based on the f inal damage the inf ection has dealt to the body.
T hese are:
Gummatous syphilis: T his is the most common presentation of the tertiary stage, and is characterized by
the f ormation and prolif eration of gummas, which are non-cancerous tumor-like lumps that can appear
anywhere on the body, though they mostly f orm on the skin, the liver, and the bones. T hese are sof t balls
that actually have a f irm center f illed with decaying tissue. T hey dif f er in size, f rom as small as a coin to as
big as a tennis ball. Gummas are not inf ectious, which is why gummatous syphilis is also known as latestage benign syphilis.
Neurosyphilis: T his occurs when the inf ection has spread to the brain and CNS or central nervous system.
Syphilis on the CNS can cause meningitis, more specif ically, syphilitic meningitis. It can also interf ere with
some of the brain’s motor and reasoning f unctions, causing weakness to the extremities, poor balance and
coordination, and even dementia in some cases. Some neurosyphilis patients even present themselves with
seizure attacks and apathy or lack of emotion.
Cardiovascular syphilis: T his type of late-stage syphilis takes the longest to occur. A f ull-blown
cardiovascular syphilis could take place in 10 to 30 years af ter the initial inf ection. T his is when the
inf ection settles on the heart and its structures, causing the most common problem known as syphilitic
aortitis, which is the inf lammation of the aorta. T his complication can result to the occurrence of
aneurysms later on.
Relying on Symptoms Alone
Should people who are suspected of having the inf ection rely on the signs and symptoms of syphilis
alone? T he short and def initive answer is no. As was earlier explained, the signs of syphilis are many, with
some appearing to be asymptomatic until later during the late stages of the secondary stage. As early
treatment of the inf ection is essential to prevent the progression to the tertiary stages of the disease,
relying on symptoms alone is not an intelligent move.
If there is someone who is suspected of having syphilis, a simple blood test could make an accurate
diagnosis whether he or she is inf ected or not. Having a def initive diagnosis is better than waiting f or the
syphilis symptoms which may or may not present themselves. When preventive measure f ails, early
treatment is key. It is better to be sure than to be sorry in ten, twenty, or thirty years later on.

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