Syphilis is a bacterial infection entering the body through breaks in the skin or linings of the genital area. Over time, goes on to damage internal organs (heart, brain, spinal cord).

It starts off as painless ulcers (chancre) usually on genitals. Soon after in causes swollen glands, hair loss, and a rash.

Approximately 40% of babies born to women with untreated syphilis can be stillborn or die from the infection as a newborn. Babies born with congenital syphilis can have bone damage, severe anemia, enlarged liver and spleen, jaundice, nerve problems causing blindness or deafness, meningitis, or skin rashes.

If it's not treated, syphilis can cause serious and potentially life-threatening problems including: heart problems like angina (chest pain that occurs when the heart muscle does not get enough oxygen-rich blood), aortic aneurysm (balloon-like bulge in the aorta) and heart failure. As well as, brain problems like seizures, personality changes and dementia.

A single injection of long-acting Benzathine penicillin G can cure the early stages of syphilis. This includes primary, secondary, or early latent (within the past 12 months) syphilis. CDC recommends three doses of long-acting Benzathine penicillin G at weekly intervals for late latent (longer than 12 months) syphilis or latent syphilis of unknown duration.

Syphilis is a sexually transmitted infectious (STI) disease caused by the bacterium Treponema pallidum. This bacterium causes infection when it gets into broken skin or mucus membranes, usually of the genitals.