Syphillis

Question 1

the cause of syphilis, is an anaerobic bacterium that cannot be cultured in vitro.

Answer 1

Treponema pallidum

Question 2

What is primary syphillis

Answer 2

Treponema invade the tissue locally creating a chancre. Some bacteria drain into the lymphatics into the nodes. The chancre site as well as at the node sites humoral and cellular responses are activated

Question 3

What secondary syphillis

Answer 3

Systemic spread of bacteria…immune system able to suppress…spontaneous resolution of skin lesions even with nontx

Question 4

Medical history and serologic studies show that syphilis is present, but the individual has no clinical manifestations. Transmission is possible.

Answer 4

Latent syphillis( secondary)

Question 5

most severe stage, involving significant morbidity and mortality.

Answer 5

Tertiary syphillis

Question 6

incubation period of syphilis ranges

Answer 6

12 days to 12 weeks averaging 3 weeks

Question 7

What are the stages of syphillis

Answer 7

Primary stage 12d-12 weeks average 3 weeks. Chancre at the sight of entry that spontaneously heals in 2-8 weeks

Secondary 6 weeks after the chancre. Systemic non specific symptoms: malaise, fever, variable systemic symptoms, including low-grade fever, malaise, sore throat, hoarseness, anorexia, generalized adenopathy, headache, joint pain, and skin or mucous membrane lesions or rashes. Cutaneous (skin) rashes. Development of condyloma lata

Latent or tertiary.

Question 8

serologic testing for syphillis

Answer 8

Nontreponemal antigen tests, which demonstrate the presence of reagin (a group of antibodies present in syphilis) in serum, provide indirect evidence of infection. Examples of nontreponemal analysis are the Venereal Disease Research Laboratory (VDRL) antigen and the rapid plasma reagin (RPR)

Treponemal tests are serologic-specific tests that are used to assess antibody response to T. pallidum and include the fluorescent treponemal antibody absorption (FTA-ABS) test and the passive particle agglutination (TP-PA) assay

Question 9

Preferred treatment for all stages of syphilis

Answer 9

Injection of Penicillin G. If the individual has manifested signs of the disease for less than 1 year, a single intramuscular dose is appropriate. If signs have been present for more than 1 year, the treatment is three weekly injections.

Question 10

Nonpregnant women who are allergic to penicillin may receive #####

Answer 10

oral doxycycline, 100 mg twice daily for 14 days.