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Syphilis is caused by the bacterium Treponema pallidum.

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Symptoms of syphilis defer in each stage. The first stage symptoms include sores on the genitals, mouth, or rectum. They often are painless. After these sores heal, the second stage begins. This usually appears as a rash on the skin. Some people also start to experience headaches, fatigue, fever, weight loss, or swollen lymph lodes. However, all of these can still go away, even left untreated. The last stage (tertiary syphilis) is when things become life threatening. This stage can cause damage to nerves, cause neurological disorders, heart disease, and infection spread to the brain or spinal cord.

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Even though syphilis is easiest to treat in the earlier stages, all stages are treated the same. In most cases, doctors will administer a shot of penicillin, but can use other antibiotics if the person is allergic to penicillin. If a person has only had syphilis for a year or less, one dose will likely treat this STI. However, if a person has had syphilis for over a year, it often requires multiple doses of the antibiotic to rid the disease.

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If a woman is pregnant when diagnosed with syphilis, this infection can be spread to the baby. Even after the mother receives treatment, the child will still need to be tested after birth. Syphilis in babies can be very harmful to newborns, even before they are born. In some cases babies with syphilis can be still-born, born premature, or born with low birth weight.  New borns can be born with many defects, such as:
- damage to bones
- severe anemia
- enlarged liver and spleen
- jaundice
- nerve problems
- blindness or deafness
- skin rashes
- meningitis

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The only way to avoid syphilis, is to avoid having sex. Condoms can be used, however they only work if they cover the syphilis sores. Always avoid any actions with people you might think have syphilis.