Signs of Syphilis

The signs of syphilis change as the disease moves from the early to the late stages. The first sign of syphilis is a chancre on the body. A chancre is a sore or ulcer that does not hurt. It shows up ten days to three months after sex with an infected person.

Chancres can be seen on the part of the body that was exposed to the syphilis bacteria, such as the penis, vagina, cervix (opening to the uterus, or womb), tongue, or mouth. Some chancres are inside the body, where they cannot be seen. Chancres last 3 to 6 weeks and heal on their own. If the infection is not treated during this early stage, it moves on to the next stage.

The second stage of syphilis starts with a skin rash that does not itch. The rash may show up as the chancre is fading or up to several weeks later. The rash may appear as rough, reddish-brown spots the size of a penny on the palms of the hands and the soles of the feet. It may also appear elsewhere on the body and be faint or look like another kind of rash. The rash will clear up on its own even without treatment.

Other symptoms may include mild fever, fatigue, headache, sore throat, as well as patchy hair loss, and swollen lymph glands throughout the body.

During these first two stages of syphilis infection, a person can easily pass the disease to sex partners when signs and symptoms are present.

Signs of syphilis include:

• Chancres (painless sores) - the first sign of syphilis.
• Skin rash.
• Mild fever.
• Feeling very tired.
• Headache.
• Sore throat.
• Hair loss.
• Swollen lymph glands throughout the body.

If syphilis remains untreated, the disease progresses to a latent (hidden) stage. Some people will have no further symptoms, even though they still have syphilis. But untreated syphilis can damage body organs, including the brain, nerves, eyes, heart, blood vessels, liver, bones, and joints. This damage may show up many years later as heart disease, mental illness, blindness, or other health problems, and cause death.