Syphilis is a bacterial infection that typically starts as a painless sore and further spreads to genitals, rectum or mouth. It is a sexually transmitted infection. There are many stages of syphilis and symptoms vary with each stage of the disease.

Symptoms of syphilis depend upon which stage the infection has progressed to. In primary syphilis, the typical sign is a chancre (small sore). In secondary syphilis, one may experience a rash, muscle aches, fever, sore throat, or swollen lymph nodes. In latent syphilis, the disease affects systemic organs like brain, nerves, heart, bones and joints leading to many complications.

Syphilis is an infection that is transmitted via sexual contact. It may spread by kissing near a lesion, oral, vaginal and anal sex. It can spread by contaminated blood products or during pregnancy from mother to the baby. After healing of the chancre in few weeks, a rash develops which spreads to other parts in secondary syphilis. If not properly treated, the disease may spread to other organs.

Syphilis can be avoided by
- Condom use during sex
- Screening and proper treatment during pregnancy
- Use of disposable syringes
-Abstinence from sexual contact with a person who is infected with syphilis.

Syphilis, if left untreated, can spread to other body organs and lead to many complications. It can affect the nervous system, bones, heart, and brain leading to
-heart attack
-stroke, paralysis
-tingling and numbness
-dementia, blindness
-death