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Syphilis
Lesley Agyemang…read more

Syphilis is a curable, bacterial infection, caused by the
bacteriaTreponema pallidum. The bacteria enter the body
through mucous membranes or abraded (torn or cut) skin.
Once inside the body, syphilis enters the blood stream and
attaches to cells, damaging organs over time.
There are four stages through which untreated syphilis
progresses, each stage with its own unique signs and
symptoms: primary, secondary, latent, and tertiary (or late).
Untreated syphilis from early to late stages can produce
symptoms from 17 days up to 30+ years. While curable with
antibiotics, complications that may develop in later stages
cannot be reversed with treatment…read more

spread during sex (including oral sex)
· ·half of those infected show no symptoms
· ·painless but infective sores may appear
· ·can be easily diagnosed and treated with anitbiotics
· ·if left untreated can cause serious health problems…read more

Abstinence (not having sex of any kind).
· Mutual monogamy (having sex with only one uninfected
partner).
· Latex condoms for vaginal and anal sex. Condoms may protect
the penis or vagina from infection, but do not protect from
contact with other areas such as the scrotum or anal area.
· Several barrier methods can be used to reduce the risk of
transmission of syphilis during oral sex. A non-lubricated
condom can be used for mouth-to-penis contact. Household
plastic wrap, a dental dam, or a latex condom cut-up and
opened flat can reduce the risk of transmission during mouth-
to-vulva/vagina or oral-anal (rimming) contact.
How to reduce risk…read more

Telling a partner can be hard, but keep in mind that some
people with syphilis don't know they have it. It's
important that you talk to your partner as soon as possible
so she or he can get treatment. Also, it is possible to pass
syphilis back and forth, so if you get treated and your
partner doesn't, you may get infected again.
How do I tell my partner?…read more

REMEMBER SYPHILLIS IS REAL…read more