SYPHILIS : CAUSATIVE AGENT, MODE OF TRANSMISSION AND STAGES OF SYPHILIS
INTRODUCTION:
1.) Syphilis is an venereal ( sexually – transmitted ) disease.
2.) Most commonly affected regions in the world from syphilis are in Sub – Saharan Africa, South America and South East Asia.
CAUSATIVE AGENT: Caused by Treponema pallidum.
1.) T. pallidum is a coiled spiral filament 10µm long that moves actively in fresh preparation.
2.) This organism has not been cultured or cultivated in any culture media but experimental infection can be produced in Rabbits and Chimpanzees.
3.) This organism cannot be stained by the usual method and can be demonstrated in exudates and tissue.
MODE OF TRANSMISSION:
1.) Sexual intercourse is the most common route of infection and result in lesions on Glans penis, Vulva, Vagina and Cervix.
2.) Transfusion of infected blood.
3.) Intimate person to person contact.
4.) Materno – foetal transmission in congenital syphilis if mother is infected.
STAGES OF SYPHILIS:
Syphilis is divided into three stages depending upon the period after which the lesions appear and type of lesions :-
A.) PRIMARY SYPHILIS: The primary stage of syphilis, occurring approximately 3 weeks after contact with an infected person represented by single firm, nontenders ( said of body parts or lesions that do not trigger discomfort upon palpation) raised, red lesions located at the site of treponemal invasion on the penis, cervix, vaginal walls or anus .
B.) SECONDARY SYPHILIS: Inadequately treated patients of primary syphilis develop mucocutaneous lesions and painless lymphadenopathy ( disease affecting lymph node) in 2 – 3 months of exposure. Antibody test are always positive in this case because it is highly infective stage. Also latent syphilis is the reversion of secondary syphilis.
C.) TERTIARY SYPHILIS: This stage occurs years after the primary lesions, is characterized by active inflammatory lesions of the heart, aorta and central nervous system or by quiescent lesions involving the liver, bones and skin.
FIGURE SHOWING DIFFERENT STAGES OF SYPHILIS
The above figure is used by our website is only for educational purpose
COGENITAL SYPHILIS: Cogenital syphilis may develop in a foetus of more than 16 week gestation who is exposed to maternal spirochete. Babies with congenital syphilis have saddle hose deformity and wide short teeth.
CHILD HAVING CONGENITAL SYPHILIS
MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTIONS :-
Ques:1) Syphilis is caused by which microorganism ?
a.) C. oerfringes
b.) C. botulinum
c.) Ventral pallidum
d.) Treponema pallidum
Ques:2) Which of the following is one way in which syphilis is transmitted ?
a.) By sharing a hot bath tub
b.) By eating food contaminated by disease
c.) By having unsafe sex with the infected person
d.) By sitting on toilet sits in public toilets
Ques:3) Syphilis is a complex systemic sexually transmitted infection caused by ?
a.) A virus
b.) A fungus
c.) By spirochete
d.) By bacteria
Ques:4) Syphilis is generally characterized by two clinical stages ?
a.) False
b.) True
c.) Neither true nor false
Ques:5) Chancre of the syphilis are found in the ?
a.) Genital, Vagina, Anus, Rectum, Lips and inside the mouth
b.) Genitals only
c.) Buttocks, Legs, Arms And Back
d.) Throat, Vagina and Chest area
Ques:6) Syphilis can be ?
a.) Tested
b.) Observed
c.) Felt
d.) Treated
Ques:7) Syphilis is often called ?
a.) The great terminator
b.) The invisible dictator
c.) The great imitator
d.) The terrorizing emperor
Ques:8) Experimental organism used for the study of syphilis are?
a.) Rabbits
b.) Chimpanzees
c.) Both (a) and (b)
d.) None of the above
Ques:9) Which of the following stage is found to be most infective stage ?
a.) Primary syphilis stage
b.) Tertiary syphilis stage
c.) Secondary syphilis stage
d.) All of the above
Ques:10) In which state antibody test is found to be positive in 1 – 3 week after the appearance of chancre ?
a.) Primary syphilis stage
b.) Secondary syphilis stage
c.) Tertiary syphilis stage
d.) All of the above
SOLUTIONS :-
SOL.1) [d] Treponema pallidum
SOL.2) [c] By having unsafe sex with infected person
SOL.3) [c] Spirochete
SOL.4) [a]
SOL.5) [a] Genital, Vaginal, Anus, Rectum, Lips and inside the mouth
SOL.6) [d] Treated
SOL.7) [c] The great imitator (syphilis is called a great imitator because it may cause symptoms similar to many other diseases)
SOL.8) [c] Rabbits and Chimpanzees
SOL.9) [c] Secondary syphilis
SOL.10) [a] Primary syphilis
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REFERENCE :-
1.) Robbin’s basic pathology.
2.) Textbook of pathology by Harsh Mohan.