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Syphilis can be treated with 1-3 doses of Benzathine Penicillin G based on the length of time the person has had the infection in their body or if the length of time is unknown. For those who are in the tertiary stage, the penicillin will need to be administered intravenously once a week for two weeks. After treatment, the person will need to refrain from sexual activity for at least seven days or until theirs sores have completely healed if chancres are still present. Treatment does not provide immunity, therefore, any sexual partners will need to be notified and treated before engaging in sexual activity as well to prevent reinfection.

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Congenital syphilis can cause a miscarriage or stillbirth. It can also cause low birth weight or the baby to be born prematurely.

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Not everybody with untreated syphilis will experience the tertiary stage, but those who do might experience symptoms of neurosyphilis, ocular syphilis, or otosyphilis. This stage usually begins 10-30 years after the initial exposure and can affect many organ systems, including the heart, and without treatment can result in death. You can find a more extensive list of specific symptoms that can accompany different organ systems on the CDC website.

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Syphilis has three symptomatic stages along with a latent stage between the secondary and tertiary stages, where the person can remain asymptomatic for years but can still spread the infection to others during the first year of this stage.

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Syphilis is caused by the bacteria Treponema pallidum. Here you can view Treponema pallidum under a light microscope.

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This is another view of what Treponema pallidum looks like under a light microscope when in clusters.

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During the primary stage, you will notice a single sore, often referred to as a "chancre", or sometimes multiple sores which are round, firm, and typically painless. The site of this sore is where the infection originally entered the body. This sore usually lasts around 3-6 weeks before going away with or without treatment, however, without treatment the syphilis will remain in the body.

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Congenital syphilis has more than tripled in recent years with over 2,000 confirmed cases in 2021 alone. Infants born with congenital syphilis might experience a wide range of symptoms including deformed bones, severe anemia, an enlarged liver and spleen, jaundice, brain and nerve problems like blindness or deafness, meningitis, skin rashes, or even death shortly after birth.

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Here you can view Treponema pallidum under an electron microscope. With an electron microscope you are able to see the spiral shape the bacteria is traditionally associated with.

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During the second stage, you might notice a skin rash or sores around the mouth, vagina, or anus. The rash might begin as the initial chancre is healing or several weeks afterward and will often begin on the hands and feet but can spread to other areas of the body. This rash usually does not itch and with milder symptoms might even go unnoticed and, similar to the previous stage, will eventually go away with or without treatment.

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As seen here, the rash can vary greatly from case to case. Other symptoms may include fever, swollen lymph glands, sore throat, patchy hair loss, headaches, weight loss, muscle aches, or fatigue. Treatment is still required regardless of the severity of symptoms to eradicate the infection from the body.

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Syphilis is spread through direct contact with a syphilis sore during vaginal, anal, or oral sex, and while unlikely, it can also be spread through kissing if the person has visible sores in their mouth or through other methods of direct skin contact. Syphilis also can be spread from a mother to her unborn child during pregnancy, resulting in the child contracting congenital syphilis. Syphilis CANNOT be spread through contact with everyday objects such as toilets, swimming pools, door knobs, clothing, etc.

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Though most newborns will develop health problems within the first few weeks after birth, some babies may be asymptomatic directly after birth, however, without treatment the child can still develop symptoms years later and die from the infection. It can also cause the child to have seizures or be developmentally delayed.