Syphilis is also been nicknamed the “great imitator” for its diverse forms of presentation. This particular disease is caused by Treponema pallidum, and can take three forms of primary, secondary and tertiary disease, each with certain particular features. The disease is transmitted through close contact with the lesion, through blood transfusion, through sexual practices and from mother to the fetus respectively.
The mode of entry of the syphilis is through intact mucous membranes or through small abrasions on the skin. The organism then spreads out into the body, and causes certain presentations of systemic infection (McCalmont, 2009).
The physical features of each type of syphilis, that is primary, secondary or tertiary are different. Primary lesions can appear on the sexual organs as chancres and sores and around areola, the lips and the oral cavity. At this stage it is highly infectious, and the lesions have a rubbery form of consistancy.
The physical presentation of the secondary form of syphilis include localised and diffused bilateral and symmetrical mucocutaneous lesions. There is also a generalized non tender lymphadenopathy. In the oral cavity, the secondary syphilis may present as superfician mucosal erosions on the palate, pharynx, and larynx (McCalmont, 2009).
The tertiary syphilis presents in the forms of gummas, which can be seen in the the mouth and in the upper respiratory tract (CDC Fact Sheet- Syphilis). The gummas present singularly with variable size, however, the cutaneous gummas may be multiple with indurated, nodular or ulcerated lesions. Syphilis can be transferred from the mother to the fetus as well (CDC Fact Sheet- Syphilis).
The treatment of syphilis is carried out by penicillin, which has been found to be very effective in all of its three stages. Other alternative treatment options are tetracycline, erythromycin and ceftriaxone (McCalmont, 2009).
McCalmont Timothy, 2009. Syphilis. Site last accessed on January 9th, 2010 from http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/1053426-followup
Syphilis- CDC Fact Sheet, 2009. Site last accessed on January 2nd, 2010 from http://www.cdc.gov/std/syphilis/STDFact-Syphilis.htm