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Syphilis

»	What causes syphilis?
»	Describe the morphologic appearance of T. pallidum.
»	Where did syphilis originate?
»	How is syphilis transmitted?
»	What are the chances of getting syphilis from having sexual intercourse with an infected individual?
»	Following inoculation, how long does it take for the primary chancre to appear?
»	Describe the typical Hunterian chancre.
»	Do syphilitic chancres occur on sites other than the genitalia?
»	What is the best way to diagnose primary syphilis?
»	How is primary syphilis treated?
»	What is the Jarisch-Herxheimer reaction?
»	What is the natural history of the untreated syphilitic chancre?
»	When does secondary syphilis begin?
»	Do patients with secondary syphilis have any symptoms?
»	List the common physical findings in secondary syphilis.
»	Describe the syphiloderm of secondary syphilis.
»	What are condylomata lata? How do they differ from condylomata acuminata?
»	What are mucous patches?
»	Is there anything characteristic about the alopecia of secondary syphilis?
»	How good are physicians at recognizing the signs and symptoms of secondary syphilis?
»	What is the best way to diagnose secondary syphilis?
»	How should secondary syphilis be treated?
»	What stage follows untreated secondary syphilis?
»	How is latent syphilis treated?
»	When should lumbar punctures be done in patients with syphilis?
»	What happens to patients with untreated latent syphilis?
»	Name the three major presentations of tertiary syphilis.
»	What are the mucocutaneous features of late benign syphilis?
»	What was the Tuskegee Study?

What causes syphilis?

Syphilis is caused by the spirochete Treponema pallidum, ssp. pallidum, which belongs to the order Spirochaetales. T. pallidum ssp. endemicum is a subspecies that causes bejel, or endemic syphilis. Other pathogenic treponemes for humans include T. pallidum ssp. pertenue, the cause of yaws, and T. carateum, the cause of pinta. There are other Treponema species that infect other animals or are free-living. Since 2000, there has been an increase in the number of reported cases in the United States, with 11,466 cases of primary and secondary syphilis being reported in 2007, which is a 15.7% increase when compared to the figures from 2006.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Sexually transmitted disease surveillance 2007 supplement: syphilis surveillance report, Atlanta, March 2009, US Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.