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India Today
19-05-2025
- Health
- India Today
All you need to know about syphilis
All you need to know about syphilis Credit: Getty Images Syphilis is a sexually transmitted infection (STI) that's often misunderstood and sometimes missed altogether. Yet, it's making a comeback globally, including in India. Syphilis is a bacterial infection caused by Treponema pallidum. It spreads mainly through sexual contact, including vaginal, anal, or oral sex. It can also pass from a pregnant mother to her baby. What is Syphilis? Syphilis progresses in four stages — primary, secondary, latent, and tertiary. Each stage has different symptoms, and the disease becomes more serious if left untreated. The primary stage usually begins with a single, painless sore (called a chancre) on the genitals, anus, or mouth. Because it doesn't hurt, many people don't notice it. The First Sign: A Painless Sore The sore may go away on its own, but the infection doesn't. In the secondary stage, rashes, fever, sore throat, and swollen glands may appear. After that, syphilis can silently enter the latent stage, with no symptoms at all. If untreated, syphilis can reach the tertiary stage years later, damaging organs like the heart, brain, liver, and bones, causing paralysis, blindness, or even death. Syphilis is usually diagnosed with a simple blood test. If you've had unprotected sex or notice symptoms, it's important to get tested, even if you feel fine. The good news? Syphilis is easily treatable with antibiotics, usually a single injection of penicillin in early stages. Later stages may require more doses. Using condoms, getting regular STI check-ups, and limiting the number of sexual partners can reduce the risk of infection. Pregnant women should be screened early in pregnancy.
Scottish Sun
13-05-2025
- Health
- Scottish Sun
Hair loss on your head and two other body parts ‘could signal an STI' warns expert
Find out the full list of symptoms for the STI below BALD SPOT Hair loss on your head and two other body parts 'could signal an STI' warns expert Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) RASHES, soreness and noticeable changes in discharge are usually the first symptoms we think of when it comes to sexually transmitted infections (STIs). There is however, one lesser-known symptom of a STI that can easily be dismissed as stress or ageing. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 3 Syphilis is a STI that if not treated, can cause serious and potentially life-threatening problems Credit: Getty 3 Patchy hair loss could be signalling an underlying syphilis infection Credit: Getty A pharmacist has warned hair loss - particularly patchy hair loss on the head, beard and eyebrows - could be down to an underlying syphilis infection. Syphilis is a STI that if not treated, can cause serious and potentially life-threatening problems. Syphilitic Alopecia (SA) is a symptom which mimics other types of alopecia, says superintendent pharmacist Abbas Kanani, superintendent pharmacist of Online Pharmacy Chemist Click. "Although it is quite rare, it can cause non-scarring hair loss in secondary syphilis," Abbas explains. "It tends to mimic other hair disorders, such as alopecia areata - which is mostly in small, round patches on the scalp, trichotillomania - a compulsive desire to pull out one's hair, and telogen effluvium - excessive shedding of resting or telogen hair after some metabolic stress, hormonal changes, or medication. "It can present three clinical patterns that affect not only the scalp region, but also other hair-covered areas; these patterns include moth-eaten, diffuse, and mixed alopecia." Moth-eaten alopecia looks like multiple, scattered, small patches of hair loss, resembling a moth's damage to fabric. Diffuse alopecia occurs all over the scalp in a uniform, thinning pattern, rather than in distinct patches. And mixed alopecia is having two or more different types of hair loss conditions simultaneously. Because prevalence of the symptom is low the precise mechanisms by which it develops and progresses still has to be ascertained. What is Gonorrhoea However, Abbas added: "The immune response to the bacterium Treponema pallidum, or its presence, could be related to the loss of terminal hairs, hair follicle cycle arrest, and hair bend resulting in empty follicles and broken hairs." There are four stages of syphilis - primary, secondary, latent, and tertiary. The 'moth-eaten' hair loss pattern is the most common type with SA and is considered to be a characteristic of secondary syphilis. Other symptoms of syphilis include: Small sores (ulcers) on your penis, vagina, or around your bottom (anus) – these are usually painless and you may only have one of them Sores in other areas, including in your mouth or on your lips, hands or bottom White or grey warty growths most commonly on your penis, vagina or around your anus A rash on the palms of your hands and soles of your feet that can sometimes spread all over your body – this is not usually itchy White patches in your mouth Flu-like symptoms, such as a high temperature, headaches and tiredness Swollen glands Knowing whether you have the STI can be challenging, particularly with syphilis, as it can take three weeks or more for symptoms to appear. Also, the symptoms of syphilis are often mild and hard to notice, tend to change over time and may come and go. "Symptoms can improve or go away completely, but if you have not been treated the infection is still in your body which means you can still pass it on and you're at risk of getting serious problems later on," warned Abbas. Syphilis is transmitted during oral, anal or vaginal sex through contact with infectious lesions, and also during pregnancy through the placenta. Latest available figures show that globally, eight million adults were diagnosed with syphilis in 2022. However the UK Health Security Agency (HSA) reports diagnoses of infectious syphilis (primary, secondary and early latent stages) at sexual health services in England decreased slightly in April to June 2024 to an estimated 2,300, down from 2,360 in the previous quarter. 3 Using condoms consistently and correctly when you have vaginal or anal sex is the best way to prevent syphilis and many other STIs Credit: Getty You should visit your GP or a sexual health clinic if you or a sexual partner have symptoms of syphilis, a sexual partner has told you they have syphilis or another STI or you've recently had sex with a new partner and did not use a condom. It's also important to book an appointment if you're pregnant or planning to get pregnant and think you might have syphilis or you've injected drugs using a needle that's been used by someone who might have syphilis. Syphilis is treated with antibiotics, which can come in the form of injections, tablets or capsules. Abbas explains the duration of the treatment is dependent on the stage of your syphilis. If it's not treated, syphilis can cause serious and potentially life-threatening problems, some of which may not appear for many years. According to the NHS, these include heart problems like aortic aneurysms and heart failure, brain damage leading to stroke, dementia, and seizures, and nerve damage causing paralysis, blindness, and deafness. But syphilis is both a preventable and curable bacterial STI. Abbas said: "Using condoms consistently and correctly when you have vaginal or anal sex is the best way to prevent syphilis and many other STIs. "You should also use a condom to cover the penis or a latex or dam to cover the vagina if you have oral sex and make sure you complete treatment if you or your partner have syphilis. "Avoid sharing sex toys or wash and cover them with a new condom before anyone else uses them."
The Irish Sun
13-05-2025
- Health
- The Irish Sun
Hair loss on your head and two other body parts ‘could signal an STI' warns expert
RASHES, soreness and noticeable changes in discharge are usually the first symptoms we think of when it comes to sexually transmitted infections (STIs). There is however, one lesser-known symptom of a STI that can easily be dismissed as 3 Syphilis is a STI that if not treated, can cause serious and potentially life-threatening problems Credit: Getty 3 Patchy hair loss could be signalling an underlying syphilis infection Credit: Getty A pharmacist has warned Syphilis is a STI that if not treated, can cause serious and potentially life-threatening problems. Syphilitic Alopecia (SA) is a symptom which mimics other types of alopecia, says superintendent pharmacist Abbas Kanani, superintendent pharmacist of "Although it is quite rare, it can cause non-scarring hair loss in secondary syphilis," Abbas explains. Read more on STIs "It tends to mimic other hair disorders, such as alopecia areata - which is mostly in small, round patches on the scalp, trichotillomania - a compulsive desire to pull out one's hair, and telogen effluvium - excessive shedding of resting or telogen hair after some metabolic stress, hormonal changes, or medication. "It can present three clinical patterns that affect not only the scalp region, but also other hair-covered areas; these patterns include moth-eaten, diffuse, and mixed Moth-eaten alopecia looks like multiple, scattered, small patches of hair loss, resembling a moth's damage to fabric. Diffuse alopecia occurs all over the scalp in a uniform, thinning pattern, rather than in distinct patches. Most read in Health And mixed alopecia is having two or more different types of hair loss conditions simultaneously. Because prevalence of the symptom is low the precise mechanisms by which it develops and progresses still has to be ascertained. What is Gonorrhoea However, Abbas added: "The immune response to the bacterium Treponema pallidum, or its presence, could be related to the loss of terminal hairs, hair follicle cycle arrest, and hair bend resulting in empty follicles and broken hairs." There are four stages of syphilis - primary, secondary, latent, and tertiary. The 'moth-eaten' hair loss pattern is the most common type with SA and is considered to be a characteristic of secondary syphilis. Other symptoms of syphilis include: Small sores (ulcers) on your penis, vagina, or around your bottom (anus) – these are usually painless and you may only have one of them Sores in other areas, including in your mouth or on your lips, hands or bottom White or grey warty growths most commonly on your penis, vagina or around your anus A rash on the palms of your hands and soles of your feet that can sometimes spread all over your body – this is not usually itchy White patches in your mouth Flu-like symptoms, such as a high temperature, Swollen glands Knowing whether you have the STI can be challenging, particularly with syphilis, as it can take three weeks or more for symptoms to appear. Also, the symptoms of syphilis are often mild and hard to notice, tend to change over time and may come and go. "Symptoms can improve or go away completely, but if you have not been treated the infection is still in your body which means you can still pass it on and you're at risk of getting serious problems later on," warned Abbas. Syphilis is transmitted during oral, anal or vaginal sex through contact with infectious lesions, and also during pregnancy through the placenta. Latest available figures show that globally, However the 3 Using condoms consistently and correctly when you have vaginal or anal sex is the best way to prevent syphilis and many other STIs Credit: Getty You should visit your GP or a sexual health clinic if you or a sexual partner have symptoms of syphilis, a sexual partner has told you they have syphilis or another STI or you've recently had sex with a new partner and did not use a condom. It's also important to book an appointment if you're pregnant or planning to get pregnant and think you might have syphilis or you've injected drugs using a needle that's been used by someone who might have syphilis. Syphilis is treated with antibiotics, which can come in the form of injections, tablets or capsules. Abbas explains the duration of the treatment is dependent on the stage of your syphilis. If it's not treated, syphilis can cause serious and potentially life-threatening problems, some of which may not appear for many years. According to the NHS, these include heart problems like aortic aneurysms and heart failure, brain damage leading to stroke, dementia, and seizures, and nerve damage causing paralysis, blindness, and deafness. But syphilis is both a preventable and curable bacterial STI. Abbas said: "Using condoms consistently and correctly when you have vaginal or anal sex is the best way to prevent syphilis and many other STIs. "You should also use a condom to cover the penis or a latex or dam to cover the vagina if you have oral sex and make sure you complete treatment if you or your partner have syphilis. "Avoid sharing sex toys or wash and cover them with a new condom before anyone else uses them." Where to get help for STIs In the UK, help with STIs is readily available through sexual health clinics, some GP surgeries, pharmacies, and young people's services. These services offer testing, treatment, and confidential advice for STIs, including HIV and other sexually transmitted infections. Services are free and accessible to all, regardless of age, gender, ethnicity, or sexuality, with some exceptions for certain prescriptions. The National Sexual Health Helpline is also available on 0300 123 7123, providing confidential advice and information about sexual health services.
Yahoo
21-04-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Sexually transmitted infections returning to pre-pandemic levels in Rhode Island
A colorized electron micrograph shows Treponema pallidum, the bacteria that cause syphilis. The inset shows a closeup of a single strand. (Image by National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases) HIV and other sexually transmitted infections (STIs) appear to be a slowly rising tide in the Ocean State, according to the most recent data from the state health department. STI surveillance data is reported on a lag, so the March report issued by the Rhode Island Department of Health (RIDOH) contains long- and short-term data ending in 2023, plus some tentative findings for 2024. But recent increases in infections could also be trends returning to their baseline prior to the pandemic. 'If you look at the data starting in 2020 we did see some significant declines starting with the pandemic, and that is because we were seeing less testing, less healthcare visits,' said Dr. Philip Chan, a primary care physician with Brown University Health and a medical consultant on the RIDOH report. But people's behavior also changed during that time, Chan added. 'People were more likely to stay at home, more likely to isolate. What we were seeing on the ground was that a lot of people had a lot less sex partners, so there was just a lot less sex going on.' The good news is that the state usually succeeds in treating HIV, with outcomes more positive than national averages and patients' illness often stops before the virus progresses into AIDS. Less ideal are higher rates for other STIs like syphilis and gonorrhea, which climbed past pre-pandemic levels in 2023. 'From year to year, it's tough to tell exactly what's happening,' Chan said. 'But I think that the trends the last couple years are clear that things are going up.' Data for the more ubiquitous infections includes: Syphilis has increased 58% from 2014 to 2023. There were 328 cases recorded in 2021, the highest number in decades. That fell to 240 cases in 2022, and 190 in 2023 — about the same as pre-pandemic levels, which had already risen since 2014. Preliminary data for 2024 shows similar trends. From 2020 to 2023, there were also about 10 cases of congenital syphilis — the state's first instances in about a decade, and one example of testing's importance in early detection, Chan said. Gonorrhea cases rose 183.4% over the last 10 years. There were 590 cases in 2014, compared to 1,672 cases in 2023. There has not been a year with fewer than 1,000 cases since 2016. Men account for about twice as many cases as women. Chlamydia cases have remained more consistent since 2014, and rose 21% over the decade, from 4,349 cases in 2014 to 5,269 cases in 2023. Women ages 20-24 exhibited the highest increase over that same period, but the report notes that women access routine screenings more than men, who are often asymptomatic when infected. 'A key theme for all these STIs is that most people may not have symptoms,' Chan said. 'And so the only way that you know that you may have it is to get tested, and that's why testing is so so important.' Chan pointed to primary care doctors and sex education as two ways people can become educated about the necessity of screening. Only 52% of adults ages 18 to 64 who had multiple sex partners received an STI test in the past year, according to 2022 data. Only 60% had ever received an HIV test. What we were seeing on the ground was that a lot of people had a lot less sex partners, so there was just a lot less sex going on. – Dr. Philip Chan, primary care physician and medical consultant for RIDOH STI surveillance report Demographic and geographic factors also shaped the data. Racial disparities exist: In 2023, HIV rates were four times higher among Black residents and nearly sevenfold higher among Rhode Island's Latino population, compared to caucasian residents. New HIV cases among Latinos have risen 132% since 2019, while dropping 63% among Black Rhode Islanders. Of newly diagnosed HIV cases in 2023, 31% were diagnosed in people born outside the United States, most frequently in the Caribbean and Central and South America. Younger people ages 15-24 account for most new STI diagnoses, about half. The state's urban core of Providence, East Providence, North Providence, Pawtucket, Woonsocket, Central Falls, and Cranston consistently reports the highest STI rates, with cases numbering in the dozens to hundreds, compared to fewer than five reported cases in many smaller towns. 'A lot of these STIs do disproportionately affect communities of color and other sorts of underserved populations,' Chan said. 'It's important, from a public health perspective, to think about how to continue and promote and increase access to care for those groups in order to address disparities like we see in STIs and frankly, many other things.' While an assortment of drugs can stop bacterial infections, there's no cure for HIV. But HIV-positive people are living longer than ever due to modern antiretroviral drugs that suppress the virus and prevent it from progressing to a more serious diagnosis of AIDS. An adequately suppressed viral load can also make the disease intransmissible, and greatly improves quality of life by halting the virus from replicating. Advances in HIV drug therapy largely account for the deep reduction in the rate of HIV-related deaths, which nationally fell by almost half from from 2010 to 2017. In Rhode Island in 2022, 93.2% of people living with HIV knew their status, 76% were receiving treatment and 71% had achieved viral suppression. And 93% of people who received their medical care within Rhode Island achieved viral suppression. Still, there was an above average number of HIV diagnoses, the preliminary 2024 data showed. From 2019-2023, RIDOH also observed that about 20% of people newly diagnosed with HIV had progressed to stage 3, or AIDS. On average, it takes eight years for HIV to develop into AIDS. Rhode Island has tried to prevent those outcomes by early diagnosis, and by fortifying its residents against HIV through preventative measures — namely, PrEP, or pre-exposure prophylaxis. Patients who adhere to the schedule for taking this group of antiretroviral drugs can have up to a 99% lower chance of contracting HIV from unprotected sex. PrEP provides an approximate 74% reduction in the likelihood of contracting HIV via injectable drug use. Successful state laws from 2023 and 2024 made PrEP as widely available as possible by slashing away potential restrictions from insurers and eliminating out-of-pocket costs. Chan, only had 'good things to say' about those laws — including the resulting interactions with insurers, who have largely been quick to correct mistakes in patient billing. The main challenge now, Chan said, is when interruptions occur, and a person loses their job, insurance, and access to PrEP. Several sexual health clinics and community health centers in Rhode Island offer low or no cost services and assist in minimizing any out-of-pocket costs associated with PrEP prescriptions and testing. For a list go to Rhode Island's PrEP Champions Network. 'I actually had a patient of mine for several years who had insurance and was on PrEP,' Chan said. 'They lost their insurance for a couple months and had to go off PrEP, and they actually, unfortunately, acquired HIV during that time. This was just a month ago.' RIDOH continues to promote the Rhode Island PrEP Champions Network, which has participating clinics across the state that expedite access to PrEP as well as its sibling PEP, or post-exposure prophylaxis, which is taken for about a month, starting within 72 hours of possible HIV exposure. Properly taken, the drug prevents HIV infection. The comparable treatment for preventing bacterial STIs is DoxyPEP, which usually consists of a single, two-pill, dose of doxycycline taken after sex. Doxycycline is an old drug, and thus an inexpensive means of lowering contraction rates, Chan suggested. 'DoxyPEP is the newest kid on the block,' he said, noting that the nationwide rollout is still in its early stages. But so far the data looks good, with evidence from places like San Francisco suggesting it can make a difference. 'We're very optimistic about it, and I think the coming years will be able to tell whether or not it's making a significant impact on overall population trends,' Chan said. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
