A syphilis outbreak has set off alarm bells in Houston.
STI cases among women have skyrocketed by 128 percent since 2019, official figures show.
Health chiefs are now scrambling to stop the spread of the virus, which can be life-threatening if left untreated. Pregnant women can also pass it on to their babies and face an increased risk of miscarriage or stillbirth.
But the symptoms of bacterial infection, which can remain inside the body for decades, are usually mild and can be difficult to detect.
Here MailOnline reveals five warning signs of the disease.
Syphilis is often referred to as “the great malingerer” as the disease has overlapping symptoms with several other STDs, which can lead to symptoms being missed entirely by healthcare professionals. Here are five warning signs of the disease to watch out for.
multiple sores
Syphilis, which is most commonly spread through sex, is caused by a bacterium called Treponema pallidum.
The first warning sign is a concave sore, known as a chancre, in the mouth or on the genitals.
Many infected people only develop a sore, which is usually firm and painless.
Chancres usually occur three weeks after being exposed to the bacteria, at the site where the bacteria entered the body.
Jeffrey Klausner, former director of STD Prevention and Control Services at the San Francisco Department of Health, said the washington post that ‘people may not be very aware’ of the telltale symptom of syphilis.
Chancres can last for six weeks and may go away without treatment, but that doesn’t mean you won’t have problems.
Rash on the palms of the hands
If syphilis is not treated, the disease can enter a second stage of infection.
The symptoms of secondary syphilis will begin a few weeks after the sore disappears. This usually consists of a rash.
Syphilis can cause a rash, which often appears on the palms of the hands, but can persist anywhere on the body, including the soles of the feet. It usually does not itch and may go away without treatment.
The NHS describes the rash as “a non-itchy rash that appears anywhere on the body, but commonly on the palms of the hands or soles of the feet.”
The rash can be faint and hard to notice, and can even resemble rashes caused by other conditions, such as psoriasis and eczema, meaning even doctors can miss the signs.
Klausner said that doctors can sometimes misdiagnose syphilis as a viral infection, which, he said, is because: “There are fewer and fewer syphilis experts.”
Inflamed glands
In the early stage of infection, syphilis can also cause “enlarged lymph nodes in the area of the sore,” according to Penn Medicine.
The swollen glands may persist into the second stage, as the bacteria continue to grow.
Swollen glands are a sign that the body is fighting an infection. They usually get better on their own within two weeks, says the NHS.
Common areas where you might notice swollen lymph nodes include the neck, under the chin, armpits, and groin.
The swollen glands can persist in the primary and secondary phases of the infection as the bacteria continue to grow.
Hair loss
Although it is a less common symptom of syphilis, the disease can cause hair loss.
The NHS says it can look like “patchy hair loss on the head, beard and eyebrows”.
According to a 2013 study published in the National Institutes of Health, the frequency of hair loss in secondary syphilis alone ranges from 2.9 to 7 percent.
This most common type of hair loss is a ‘moth-eaten’ pattern and is a non-scarring alopecia that can affect other areas of the scalp.
However, the hair loss is not long-lasting, and according to the study: “Alopecia usually resolves within three months of appropriate treatment for syphilis.”
Hair loss is a less common symptom of syphilis and usually not a lasting side effect = when treated, hair can come back
flu-like symptoms
Another warning sign to look out for is flu-like symptoms, which can persist into the second stage of the infection.
While these symptoms usually go away without treatment, if an infected person is never treated for syphilis, they could enter a third stage of the disease.
The ‘latent stage’, when there are no visible signs or symptoms, can last for years, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Tertiary syphilis can occur up to 30 years after a person is infected.
It can be fatal and can affect multiple organ systems, including the brain, nerves, eyes, heart, blood vessels, liver, bones, and joints.
In the second stage of the infection, flu-like symptoms may persist, while this may go away without treatment. If a person never receives treatment, he could enter a third stage of the infection and experience life-altering side effects from it.
What are the other signs of syphilis?
At any stage of infection, the disease can invade the nervous system (neurosyphilis), the visual system (ocular syphilis), and the auditory and/or vestibular system (ostosyphilis).
According to the CDCP, signs of neurosyphilis include:
- intense headache;
- problems with muscle movements;
- muscle weakness or paralysis (not being able to move certain parts of the body);
- numbness; and
- mental status changes (trouble concentrating, confusion, personality changes) and/or dementia (problems with memory, thinking, and/or decision making).
Signs of ocular syphilis may include:
- eye pain or redness;
- floating points in the field of view (“floaters”);
- light sensitivity; and
- vision changes (blurred vision or even blindness).
Signs and symptoms of osteosyphilis may include:
- hearing loss;
- ringing, buzzing, roaring, or hissing in the ears (“tinnitus”);
- balance difficulties; and
- dizziness or vertigo
