Syphilis symptoms pictures

Primary syphilis

Timeline

Occurs 2–12 weeks after exposure.

Symptoms

A painless, firm, round sore called a chancre (the word comes from old French “little ulcer”) appears on the genitals or mouth. [2] About Syphilis https://www.cdc.gov/syphilis/about/index.html

A chancre sore starts as a small bump or pimple that oozes fluid and turns into a chancre sore. The fluid contains syphilis bacteria.

The classic syphilis chancre is a solitary (one) 1-2 cm ulcer with raised firm and well-defined borders.

The base (bottom) of the ulcer is usually clean without any visible pus.

Lymph node enlargement locally on both sides accompanies the syphilis chancre.

The chancre usually disappears within a few weeks or months, even without the treatment,leaving a small scar.

Tongue chancre

The tongue chancre is a small syphilis sore on the tongue. It is usually solitary and painless.

Lip chancre

The lip chancre is a small syphilis sore of primary syphilis. It is usually small, painless, and easily missed.

Finger chancre

Finger chancre is very uncommon [3] Syphilis Stat pearl https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK534780/ and comes from finger contact with genital lesions during sexual practices.

Penile chancre

The penile chancre is one of the most common areas of primary syphilis. It can be seen anywhere on the penile skin when contacting an infected lesion. It is small, painless, and often overlooked.

Vaginal chancre

The vaginal chancre is a common area affected by primary syphilis. It is often overlooked due to its small size and for being painless.

Nose chancre

The nasal chancre is a very uncommon area for primary syphilis, but it still happens because of oral to genital sex.

Healed chancre

Syphilis chancre takes a long time to heal if untreated- 4-6 weeks. Since it is an ulcerative lesion penetrating deep into the skin, it can leave a scar after healing.

Secondary syphilis

Approximately 25 percent of individuals with untreated infection develop a systemic illness that represents secondary syphilis.

Timeline

Occurs 1-6 months after the chancre disappearance.

Symptoms

A bumpy rashappears on many body parts,including palms and soles. It is usually diffuse (all over the body) and symmetrical but can take any form(skin patches, bumps, and pus-filled bumps).

Fever, fatigue, enlarged lymph nodes, weight loss, hair loss, and headache might accompany it.

The individual lesionsare very faint, and their borders are not well-defined. They might be so insignificant that they areoverlooked.

The skin with a rash might feel rough and mildly itchy.

The rash typically starts on the chest, stomach, back, and pelvis and extends into the palms and soles.

Mucosal surfaces (inside the mouth and vagina) might have white superficial patches.

Tongue or mouth rashes (mucosal surfaces)

A secondary syphilis rash can involve the mucous membranes, causing sores called mucous patches to develop in the mouth and tongue. The mucous patches are red-colored patches resulting from the membranes' breakdown.

Palms rash

A rash on the palms of the hands can be a characteristic symptom of secondary syphilis.

The rash is usually rough, red, or reddish-brown spots that are typically painless and less than 2 cm across.

Soles rash

A rash on the soles of the feetis particular for secondary syphilis.

It is usually reddish-brown color spots (less than 2 cm across) that are typically painless.

Body rash (chest, stomach, and back)

Secondary syphilis can cause chest, stomach, and back rashes. They can be of different forms and shapes and resemble other conditions (roseola and viral eczema). It is usually not itchy and faint.

Syphilis “moth-eaten” hair loss (Alopecia)

So-called "moth-eaten" alopecia is occasionally seen among patients presenting with secondary syphilis.

This may be noted on the scalp, eyebrows, or beard and is usually reversible with treatment.

Secondary syphilis condyloma lata

Condyloma lata are wart-like skin lesions that occur in moist people with secondary syphilis.

It is a broad-based, gray growth with a smooth surface.

Numerous organisms are generally present in these lesions, which makes them highly infectious.