Syphilis Singapore | HIV PEP
Syphilis in Singapore: Syphilis is a sexually transmitted disease (STD) caused by a bacterial infection. If left untreated, it can lead to serious complications in men and women.
Keywords: Syphilis in Singapore, Singapore syphilis patients, Syphilis
Definition
Syphilis is a highly-contagious bacterial disease, which spreads by sexual contact. You can acquire syphilis if you have contact with a syphilis sore, which is an initial, painless symptom of the disease. After infection, the bacteria may sometimes live in your body for years before there are obvious symptoms. Syphilis progresses through a series of several stages.
In the initial stage (called the primary stage), the infection can be cured easily with a single injection of an antibiotic. If left untreated, syphilis infection can progress; in its final stages, it can cause serious health problems that irreversibly damage your brain, heart, and blood vessels. The complications can be life-threatening. If treated in this stage, the disease will stop progressing, but any damage will be permanent.
You can acquire syphilis if you engage in unprotected sex, or if you share needles during drug use. In some countries, blood transfusion can transmit syphilis, although in Singapore, syphilis is not transmitted in this way due to routine screening of the blood supply. A pregnant woman can transmit syphilis to her baby; this is called congenital syphilis. Syphilis can cause death of the infant before or after birth.
You cannot acquire a syphilis infection through sharing items such as toilets, cups, cutlery, bath towels, and plates, through swimming pools, or by kissing and hugging. The bacteria that cause syphilis cannot survive for very long outside of a human body.
Causes of syphilis
Syphilis results from infection with an organism called Treponema pallidum. It’s usually transmitted by sexual contact. Syphilis in Singapore is fairly common in both men and women who are sexually active, although men who have sex with other men are at the greatest risk. In the initial stages, you may not experience any symptoms, or the symptoms may be mild.
You can either pass or get syphilis by having sex with an exposed/infected person, or by touching a syphilis rash (sore, chancre). The infection spreads through unprotected oral, anal, or vaginal sex, or if you share your sex toys with others. Blood transfusion can also pass on syphilis infection to others in countries that don’t screen the blood supply. Pregnant women can transmit syphilis to the baby.
Risk factors for syphilis
You are at an increased risk of acquiring a syphilis infection if:
- You are infected with HIV.
- You have multiple sex partners.
- You engage in unprotected sexual activities of any kind.
- You are a gay or bisexual man.