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| ==Overview== | | ==Overview== |
| Risk factors of syphilis include unprotected sex, IV drug abuse and occupational risk for health care professionals. | | Risk factors of syphilis include unprotected sex, IV drug abuse and occupational risk for health care professionals. |
| ==NH==
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| Syphilis is a systemic disease caused by [[treponema pallidum]]. On the basis of clinical findings, the disease has been divided into a series of overlapping stages, which are used to help guide treatment and follow-up. Persons who have syphilis might seek treatment for signs or symptoms of [[Syphilis pathophysiology#Primary syphilis|primary infection]] (i.e., ulcer or [[Syphilis physical examination#Primary syphilis: Chancre|chancre]] at the infection site), [[Syphilis pathophysiology#Secondary syphilis|secondary infection]] (i.e., manifestations that include, but are not limited to, [[rash|skin rash]], mucocutaneous lesions, and [[lymphadenopathy]]),[[Neurosyphilis|neurologic infection]] (i.e., cranial nerve dysfunction, [[meningitis]], [[stroke]], [[altered mental status|acute or chronic altered mental status]], loss of vibration sense, and auditory or ophthalmic abnormalities, which might occur through the [[Syphilis natural history|natural history]] of untreated infection), or [[Syphilis pathophysiology#Tertiary syphilis|tertiary infection]] (i.e., [[syphilitic aortitis|cardiac]] or [[Syphilis physical examination#Tertiary syphilis: Gumma|gummatous lesions]]). [[Syphilis pathophysiology#Latent syphilis|Latent infections]] (i.e., those lacking clinical manifestations) are detected by [[Syphilis laboratory tests#Serology|serologic testing]]. Latent syphilis acquired within the preceding year is referred to as early latent syphilis; all other cases of latent syphilis are either late latent syphilis or latent syphilis of unknown duration.
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| Treatment for both [[Syphilis pathophysiology#Latent syphilis|late latent syphilis]] and [[Syphilis pathophysiology#Tertiary syphilis|tertiary syphilis]] might require a longer duration of therapy because organisms might be dividing more slowly; however, the validity of this concept has not been assessed.
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| ==Risk factors== | | ==Risk factors== |
| Risk factors include: | | Risk factors include: |