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What
is Syphilis?
How do I get Syphilis?
What does Syphilis do to my body?
Is there a cure for Syphilis?
How do I find out if I have Syphilis?
How can I reduce my risk of getting Syphilis?
How do I learn more about Syphilis?
What is Syphilis?
Syphilis is a sickness caused by bacteria.
How do I get Syphilis?
- Direct Contact with a Syphilis
sore
- Vaginal, anal
or oral sex
- Indirect Contact
- Pregnant mothers can pass
Syphilis to their babies
What does Syphilis do to my body?
Syphilis
affects the body in stages.
Stage 1:
- Sores appear in the genital (penis
or vagina) area or the mouth within
3 weeks to 3 months after infection
- Sores are firm, round, small, and painless
- Sores disappear, but bacteria stays in
the body (without treatment)
Stage 2:
- If not treated, the disease comes
back as a rash
- The rash looks like
rough, red or reddish brown spots
- The rash can be on the palms of hands, bottoms
of feet
Stage 3:
- If not treated, the bacteria attack
other parts of the body
- It can attack
the brain, heart, eyes, bones, liver,
blood vessels, nerves and joints
- Blindness and brain damage can happen
Is there a cure for Syphilis?
Yes. A medicine
called penicillin will cure you. Ask
your doctor about getting this medicine.
How do I find out if I have Syphilis?
Ask
your doctor for a simple Syphilis test.
How can I reduce my risk of getting Syphilis?
Don't
Have Sex
The best way to avoid Syphilis is not
having vaginal, anal or oral sex.
If you do have sex, here are some
tips to keep you safe:
Use Condoms
Using condoms or other protection (dams,
plastic wrap, etc) lowers your chances of getting Syphilis.
Get Tested
A simple blood test will tell you if
you have Syphilis. Ask your doctor for this test. You can also
get tested at local hospitals and STI (sexually transmitted
infection) clinics.
Limit Number of Partners
Wait until sores are healed to have
sex.
If you or your partner has Syphilis
sores, it is easy to get Syphilis. So, if you or your partner
has Syphilis sores, don't have sex.
How do I learn more about Syphilis?
To learn
more about Syphilis and other STIs call:
- American
Social Health Association (ASHA)
http://www.ashastd.org
1-800-783-9877
This line plays recordings about
STI information 24 hrs a day and
has health communication specialists
available to answer questions between
9am and 6pm, ET, Monday through Friday.
- Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention (CDC)
http://www.cdc.gov/std/
1-800-CDC-INFO (800-232-4636)
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