Syphilis

• What type of infection is syphilis?

  Bacterial infection caused by spirochetes
• What is the causative agent of syphilis?

  Treponema pallidum subsp. pallidum
• How is syphilis most commonly transmitted?

  Through sexual transmission
• Can syphilis be transmitted from mother to fetus?

  Yes, in clinically latent disease
• What is the initial symptom of syphilis infection?

  A painless sore called chancre
• How long can the bacteria remain inactive after infection?

  Up to a decade
• What antibiotics are used to cure syphilis?

  Penicillin
• What immune response is elicited by treponemal antigens?

  Cell-mediated and humoral immune response
• What are Wasser-mann antigens?

  Nontreponemal cardiolipin antigens
• What are the types of tropic trepanematoses?

  • T. carateum causes "Pinta"
  • T. endemicum causes "Bejel"
  • T. pertenue causes "Yaws"
• What is the incubation period for T. pallidum infection?

  10 days to 10 weeks
• What are the stages of syphilis?

  1. Primary Stage
  2. Secondary Stage
  3. Latent Stage
  4. Tertiary Stage
• What is the initial lesion in the primary stage of syphilis?

  Chancre
• When does the chancre typically appear after infection?

  2 to 8 weeks
• How long does the chancre last?

  1 to 5 weeks
• What percentage of patients have positive serum tests after 3 weeks?

  90%
• What symptoms characterize the secondary stage of syphilis?

  Lymphadenopathy, malaise, fever, rash
• How long after the appearance of chancres does secondary syphilis occur?

  6 to 8 weeks
• What type of antibodies are mostly present in secondary syphilis?

  IgG
• What happens to lesions in the secondary stage?

  They heal spontaneously within 2 to 6 weeks
• What characterizes the latent stage of syphilis?

  Lack of clinical symptoms
• Who can still transmit syphilis during the latent stage?

  Pregnant women
• How long can the latent stage last?

  It can last for years
• What are the three manifestations of tertiary syphilis?

  Gummatous syphilis, cardiovascular disease, neurosyphilis
• What are gummas?

  Localized areas of granulomatous inflammation
• What cardiovascular complications are associated with tertiary syphilis?

  Involvement of the ascending aorta
• What is neurosyphilis?

  Complication affecting the brain
• What are the outcomes of congenital syphilis?

  • Late abortion
  • Stillbirth
  • Neonatal death
  • Neonatal disease
  • Latent infection
• What are some symptoms of congenital syphilis?

  Rash, hemolytic anemia, jaundice
• How can newborns become infected with congenital syphilis?

  Through the placenta or during birth
• What is the first method for laboratory diagnosis of syphilis?

  Direct detection of spirochetes
• What is required for direct detection of spirochetes?

  Active lesion
• What is the principle of non-treponemal serologic tests?

  Flocculation
• What does the non-treponemal serologic test detect?

  Antibody against cardiolipin
• What are the components of non-treponemal methods?

  Cardiolipin, cholesterol, lecithin
• What is the purpose of the VDRL test?

  Qualitative and quantitative slide flocculation test
• What is the main reacting component of VDRL reagent?

  0.03% cardiolipin
• What is the size of the ring for serum VDRL?

  14 mm diameter
• What is the size of the ring for CSF VDRL?

  16 mm diameter
• What is the purpose of the Rapid Plasma Reagin (RPR) test?

  Modified VDRL test for macroscopic agglutination