Syphilis is a sexually transmitted disease caused by the bacterium Treponema pallidum. It is mostly transmitted through having sex with someone who is already infected with the condition. It can also be passed on from an infected mother to her unborn child or can also be caught through injecting drugs.

Syphilis is more common in urban areas, and the number of cases is rising fast in men who are homosexuals. Young adults aged 15-25 are at the highest risk of getting the disease. If syphilis is diagnosed early, it can be treated easily with the antibiotics, usually penicillin injections. However if not treated, it can progress to a more dangerous form of the disease and cause serious conditions such as stroke, paralysis, blindness or even death.

Appearance

If you have the condition you might notice, small, painless open sores or ulcers known as chancre. There can also be a skin rash on the palms of your hands and soles of your feet. During secondary stages you might notice patches that are moist and warty around your genitals or in the folds of skin. Apart from these there are hardly any other visible changes in your body.