Syphilis

sexually transmitted known and widespread throughout the world, known since the sixteenth century, but still current. The infection is caused by a bacterium, known as Treponema pallidum. This spirochete penetrates the body through the mucous membranes or the skin, reaches the peripheral lymph nodes and rapidly spreads throughout the organism. After contagion, the T. pallidum it is present in the patient's blood and in all other body secretions, but is concentrated above all at the level of the lesions it causes on the skin and genitals. For this reason, the infection is usually transmitted by sexual contact, through skin contact or from mother to fetus during pregnancy or childbirth.

Syphilis develops in various stages, each of which is characterized by different symptoms and course. After a first onset without obvious symptoms, the disease manifests itself with skin and genital lesions, accompanied by flu-like symptoms. In the absence of adequate diagnosis and therapy, a progressive evolution of the infection is possible. severe damage to multiple organs and systems, such as skin, heart and skeleton, occurs.In its final stage, syphilis damages the central nervous system causing mental confusion, dementia and progressive paralysis.

Fortunately, thanks to the availability of valid diagnostic methods and the high efficacy of antibiotic therapy, syphilis is nowadays a controllable and treatable infection.