Despite a wide range of contraceptives, in particular condoms, many women and men lose their sanity by neglecting their use during contacts with unverified partners. Relying on luck or simply not thinking about the future, they are sure that infection with a disease from the venereal spectrum does not threaten them. But sexually transmitted diseases do not dry out, and there are more and more infected people every year. In terms of the duration and severity of the course, syphilis has been holding the lead for many years, the consequences of which are so palpable that even having got rid of this ill-fated problem, it is unlikely to forget about it forever.
The causative agent of syphilis
Pale treponema is the most dangerous microbe that causes this disease. Such a microorganism can be called active and strong only when it resides in the human body, but the microbe cannot boast of stability outside of it. A sharp temperature drop and lack of sufficient humidity are detrimental to treponema.
Having settled in the human body, treponema poses the greatest threat to others at the first stage of its development and formation, the average duration of which is about two years. Affecting most of the organs and systems of the body, the disease has periodic recurrence of exacerbations and, without proper attention and treatment, becomes chronic.
Transmission routes
This infectious disease is mainly transmitted during sexual contact, with microscopic damage to the skin and mucous membranes playing a huge role. Syphilis, the consequences of which go beyond the field of venereology, is classified as a sexually transmitted disease. However, the chance of infection, albeit small, is present under other, more familiar circumstances (domestic, blood transfusion, dental procedures).
First changes in the body
During the first month after infection, the presence of syphilis is usually imperceptible. Its first manifestations can most often be observed on the patient's skin. At the site of penetration of treponema, an ulcer of a red expressive color with a solid dense base is formed. The so-called chancre is the same ulceration that soon disappears without medical intervention and makes patients mistakenly think that all the negative consequences of the disease are over.
As if lulling the vigilance of the affected person,the microbe moves rapidly throughout the body. While pale treponema multiplies, affecting all internal tissues and organs, the patient can only feel discomfort, which in its manifestation resembles the development of a respiratory infection. There is a headache, fever, general weakness and fatigue, which at first glance seem to be very harmless cold symptoms.
The missed start of treatment at this stage of the development of the disease contributes to the detection of rashes, sores on the mucous membranes, feet and palms in the near future.
Diagnosis of syphilis. RW
Having the slightest suspicion of a potential infection, doctors prescribe a simple and reliable method that allows you to accurately diagnose the presence of the disease. This is the Wasserman reaction. Its use to detect infection has become widespread in clinical trials.
But do not forget that a negative reaction to the presence of the disease a short time after infection is likely to be imaginary. In this case, greater accuracy in the analysis can be achieved by taking a scraping from the surface of the chancre in order to detect a pale spirochete.
A positive result for RW is typical for the second half of the initial stage of the disease, which is why a single RW test does not guarantee one hundred percent reliability of the tests and needs to be repeated.
Healing chancre is replaced by the appearance of papules - pink spots on the skin. This most common symptomthe secondary stage of syphilis painlessly occurs a month after the passage of ulcers. Papules are often mistaken for an allergic reaction due to the absence of any unpleasant sensations (itching, burning, skin inflammation).
In making a diagnosis, it is the Wasserman reaction to syphilis that minimizes the huge risk. The consequences of probable irreversible complications can be excluded by timely diagnosis.
The main consequences of the initial stage of syphilis in men
Often, additional bacterial lesions join the main complications of the course of the disease. In most cases, in men, they appear:
- tissue swelling and inflammation;
- phimosis (narrowing of the foreskin of the penis);
- paraphimosis (incarceration of the head causing necrosis);
- gangrene of the male genitalia.
The signs of the secondary stage of the disease, which can lead to serious deterioration in he alth, include pustular rashes. Left without proper attention, they can be accompanied by headaches, fever, general weakness and fatigue. Also, men can detect intense baldness, loss of voice.
These complications are more common in men who lead an immoral lifestyle, abuse alcohol and do not take any measures to overcome syphilis. What consequences await women is also worth looking into.
Consequences of previous syphilis in women
The first complications of the disease appear on the mucous membranes of the female genital organs. The vagina, cervix and external labia are covered with chancre. Having adapted to the new organism, treponema continues to destroy it, affecting the blood vessels and lymph nodes.
If you seek qualified medical help in time, the consequences of treated syphilis in women will still be quite serious. The disease can be dangerous not only for the carrier. Even after a full course of treatment, the risk of the birth of a sick baby in a mother who has had the disease cannot be ruled out. But still, this is incomparable with the danger and harm that a mother with syphilis causes to the fetus. About a quarter of these pregnancies end in natural termination at 12-16 weeks. The same number of sick babies die before they live even three days.
Because of these facts, every pregnant woman is required to be tested for syphilis, the consequences of which can endanger two lives.
Irreparable complications of the tertiary period
A feature of this stage of the course of the disease is the inevitability of changes leading to the death of the body, which include neurosyphilis and visceral syphilis.
Syphilitic meningitis (neurosyphilis) is a stage:
- death of brain cells;
- significant decline in intellectual abilities;
- memory deterioration;
- paralysis of limbs;
- optic nerve atrophy.
With visceral syphilis, the aorta expands,heart failure develops, which leads to the inflammatory process of the arteries. It also worsens the condition of the lungs, the functioning of the kidneys and the heart valve.
Features of treatment today
The truth, which states that it is easier to overcome any disease at its very beginning, also describes the features of the treatment of syphilis. Currently, the approach to the methodology of recovery is undergoing a process of improvement aimed at early recognition of the problem. The consequences of the treatment of syphilis should be as harmless as possible for the patient.
As before, medicines containing long-acting penicillin have invariably remained a fundamental component of the treatment plan. These are durant drugs containing benzathine benzylpenicillins.
Early Treatment Methods
Modern durant preparations do not need special recommendations for use. However, with a thorough thorough examination of the patient and a preliminary clarification of the stage of the disease, taking such drugs has a positive effect on the consequences after syphilis. Durant medications are injected no more than once a week and are prescribed in case of fresh syphilis or latent second stage of the disease. The maximum duration of the course is up to 3 injections. The effectiveness of such drugs has been proven when they are taken for prophylactic purposes. A single injection is enough to minimize the risk of infection from recent contact with a sick person.
At the same timeto cure the recurrence of the disease, according to most doctors, using such forms of penicillin is almost impossible, since they do not give a full guarantee in terms of removing the infection from the spinal cord fluid.
Efficiency of the treatment course at later stages
The consequences of syphilis, detected already in the second stage, are much more difficult to overcome. Complications caused by infection develop not only in the internal organs of a person. The central nervous system is at risk. Often, for patients with such a severe form of the disease, the most acceptable is a stationary regimen and complex combination therapy, consisting of water-soluble penicillin, antibiotics of the tetracycline groups, macrolides, cephalosporins, drugs containing bismuth. The latter suppress the active vital activity of the pathogen and have an anti-inflammatory effect. At the same time, their "impact" force leaves its mark, causing endocrine disorders, significantly reducing immunity and affecting the chromosome number of the patient. There is likely to be a trace positive reaction throughout life that affects the results of control tests.
Therefore, the appointment of immunomodulatory agents that support the protective functions of the body is mandatory in the treatment regimen. And yet, it will not be possible to completely eliminate the consequences after the treatment of syphilis, which has an extremely destructive effect on he alth.
