There are various sexual health problems that we need to know. One of them is syphilis. Syphilis or lion king disease is a sexually transmitted infection (STI) caused by bacteria. Syphilis occurs in stages, and the symptoms vary at each stage.

WHAT IS SYPHILIS?

Syphilis is a highly contagious disease that’s mostly spread through sexual activity. Syphilis is caused by the bacteria Treponema pallidum. Someone get it through direct contact with a syphilis sore on someone else’s body. This usually  happens during sexual activity, but the bacteria can also get into your body through cuts on your skin or through your mucous membranes.

The infected person often doesn’t know that they have the disease and passes it on to their sexual partner. Syphilis also can spread from a mother with syphilis to her unborn baby.

WHAT ARE THE SYMPTOMS OF SYPHILIS?

Syphilis infection has three stages:

1. Early or primary syphilis
   • Get one or more sores called chancres
   • They happen on your genitals, on your anus or rectum, or in or around your mouth 3 weeks on average after you’re exposed to the disease
   • Even if you don’t treat them, they heal without a scar within 6 weeks
   • Treatment will keep your disease from moving to the next stage

2. Secondary syphilis
   • This stage begins 6 weeks to 6 months after you’re exposed. It may last 1 to 3 months
   • Usually get a rosy "copper penny" rash on the palms of their hands and soles of their feet. People may have moist, wart-like lesions in their groin, white patches on the inside of their mouth, swollen lymph glands, fever, hair loss, and weight loss
   • Will get better without treatment

3. Tertiary syphilis

• • If the infection isn't treated, it may move on to a stage marked by severe problems with your heart, brain, and nerves
  • Could caused paralyzed, blind, or deaf, or get dementia or impotence. It can even be deadly

HOW CAN I REDUCE MY RISK OF GETTING SYPHILIS?

The only way to completely avoid STDs is to not have vaginal, anal, or oral sex. If you are sexually active, you can do the following things to lower your chances of getting syphilis:

1. Being in a long-term mutually monogamous relationship with a partner who has been tested and does not have syphilis
2. Using condoms the right way every time having sex. Condoms can prevent the spread of syphilis by preventing contact with sores. Sometimes sores can occur in areas that are not covered by a condom, contact with these sores can still transmit syphilis

AM I AT RISK FOR SYPHILIS?

Sexually active people can get syphilis through vaginal, anal, or oral sex without a condom with a partner who has syphilis. If you are sexually active, have an honest and open talk with your healthcare provider. Ask them if you should get tested for syphilis or other STDs. You should get tested regularly for syphilis if you are:

1. Sexually active
2. Are a gay or bisexual man
3. Have HIV
4. Are taking pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) for HIV prevention
5. Have partner(s) who have tested positive for syphilis
6. All pregnant people should receive syphilis testing at their first prenatal visit. Some pregnant people need to receive syphilis testing again during the third trimester at 28 weeks and at delivery

To know whether a person has syphilis or not, a test can be performed using a rapid syphilis test kit as a preliminary test. Testing through this rapid test is the easiest way to get quick results. One example of a rapid syphilis test product is the Accu-Tell^® Rapid Syphilis Test (Whole Blood/Serum/Plasma).

Picture 1. Accu-Tell^® Rapid Syphilis Test (Whole Blood/Serum/Plasma)

PT Isotekindo Intertama is an official distributor of Accu-Tell^® Rapid Syphilis Test (Whole Blood/Serum/Plasma), this rapid test is used for qualitative detection the presence of antibodies (IgG and IgM) against Treponema Pallidum (TP) in whole blood, serum or plasma for help diagnose syphilis. With the principle of rapid chromatographic immunoassay, the test will give results in the form of colored lines on the test cassette in just 5 minutes. The materials in 1 box are complete; includes 25 test cassettes, 25 plastic capillary pipettes, 1 buffer bottle and 1 Insert Pack.

Users can easily perform the test using the Accu-Tell^® Rapid Syphilis Test (Whole Blood/Serum/Plasma). Just remove the test cassette from its foil packaging, then place it on a flat surface. After that, drops the specimen in the form of serum/sample/whole blood into the drip area, adds buffer and starts the timer. Wait until the colored line appears. Test results can be read in 5 minutes. More complete instructions can be read on the insert pack.

The result is positive if two colored lines are formed in the control region (C) and the test region (T). The color intensity will vary depending on the Treponema Pallidum antibody concentration in the specimen. Even if a faint line is formed in the test region (T), it can be considered a positive result.

References:

1. WHO. Syphilis
2. CDC. (2022). Syphilis – CDC Basic Fact Sheet
3. WEBMD. Sexual Conditions: Syphilis