Syphilis

Question 1

What causes syphilis?

Answer 1

Treponema pallidum

Question 2

How is syphilis transmitted?

Answer 2

Transplacental
Sexually
Transfusion

Question 3

What are the symptoms of congenital syphilis?

Answer 3

Abortion/stillborn
Hepatosplenomegaly 
Rash with desquamation
Anaemia
Hutchinsons incisors
Cluttons joints
Saddle nose and frontal bossing

Question 4

What are the symptoms of primary syphilis?

Answer 4

Highly infectious painless chancre

+/- LNs

Question 5

What are the symptoms of secondary syphilis?

Answer 5

Rash on trunk, soles and palms
Fever
Condylomata lata (flat white warts) at site of primary chancre

Question 6

What are the symptoms of tertiary symptoms?

Answer 6

Neurosyphilis
Aortic aneurysm
AV disease
Gummatous- painless granulomas that erode skin/bone

Question 7

How do you diagnose syphilis?

Answer 7

Dark field microscopy + PCR from ulcer/LN
IgM
Serology: ETA, TPPM, IgG
VRDL and RPR for monitoring

Question 8

How do you treat syphilis and what is the risk?

Answer 8

IM benthazine penicillin

Jarish-Herxheimer reaction- flu like

Question 9

How do you treat neurosyphilis?

Answer 9

Prednisolone 3/7
Procaine penicillin 2/52
Probenecid 2/52

Question 10

How do you follow up syphilis?

Answer 10

RPR and VDRL at 3,6 and 12 months

Question 11

How do you prevent syphilis?

Answer 11

Screen all women at booking
Safe sex practices
Education