Syphilis is caused by a bacterium called Treponeman pallidum. This bacterium is a gram-negative aerobic or microaerophilic spirochete (A).
The disease is transmitted through sexual contact (oral, anal, or vaginal) or from mother to unborn baby (B). The primary way the bacterium moves from one host to another is via an open sore called a chancre Treponeman pallidum is a coiled helix that is typically viewed using the dark-field microscopy (A). There are also some screening tests that can be done: Rapid Plasma Reagent (RPR), Venereal Disease Research Laboratory (VDRL), Fluorescent Treponemal Antibody-absorption (FTA-ABS), and T. Pallidum Hemagglutination Assay (TPHA). A In some extreme cases a spinal tap is performed (E).
It is unknown how long syphilis existed in America, but it was first noticed in Europe several years after Columbus's return from America (A). It is estimated that this bacterium causes 70,000 infections yearly in the U.S., and in 1997 12 million new cases of syphilis were reported across the world (F).
Syphilis symptoms occur in three stages. The primary stage on average begins 21 days after infection. It is evident by the appearance of chancres. Chancres are small, round, painless sores that appear at the site of infection. These chancres will go away within 3-6 weeks. The secondary stage begins with a no itching rash. The rash usually occurs on the palms of hands and soles of feet. Other symptoms may include fever, swollen lymph nodes, headaches, hair loss, and more. This rash will clear by itself. The late or tertiary stage is also known as the hidden stage. It begins when the secondary stage ends. There are no symptoms, but damage is being caused to all of the internal organs. Eventually these may lead to paralysis, numbness, dementia, and possibly death (B).
T. pallidum has a virulence factor of motility (A).
The only way to absolutely prevent syphilis is to abstain from sexually activity. The use of condoms can prevent contact with the chancres, but is not a full proof protection. There is no vaccine. There is research currently under way to develop urine and saliva screens (C).
Syphilis can be cured with a single dose of penicillin or other antibiotic in patients who have had it for less than one year (B).
References
A. "Bugs" Index & endash, Organisms. Treponema pallidium (1999) http://www.medinfo.ufl.edu/year2/mmid/bms5300/bugs/trepalli
B. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Syphilis Elimination (2001) http://www..cdc.gov/nchstp/dstd/fact_sheets/sypilis_facts.htm
C. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. Syphilis (1998) http://www.niaid.nih.gov/factsheets/stdsyph.htm
D. American Social Health Association Information to live by: syphilis (2001) http://www.ashastd.org/stdfaqs/syphilis.html
E. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Some facts about syphilis (2001) http://www.cdc.gov/stopsyphilis/syphilisfact.htm
F. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. STD statistics (1998) http://www.niaid.nih.gov/factsheets/stdstats.htm