Unfortunately, a huge number of people around the world are infected with sexually transmitted diseases every day, and some ailments can pose a real threat to human life. In particular, we are talking about syphilis, the causative agent of which is pale treponema. It should be noted that the above disease belongs to the category of infectious, and it proceeds systemically, affecting not only the skin, but also the tissues of internal organs.
Dangerous bacteria
Treponema pallidum is a very thin, long and spiral microorganism that has high mobility. Previously, it had another name: lues.
Pale treponema belongs to the class of anaerobes - it does not need oxygen for vital functions. This bacterium can be found in nerve fibers, lymphatic and blood vessels, in interstitial gaps and cells of internal organs.
The virus “destroyed” by macrophages and leukocytes in most cases remains viable and is finally “killed” only with antibiotics. In some cells of the immune system, pale treponema lies in the polymembrane phagosome, and after the leukocyte is destroyed, such membranes can become extracellular.
The bacterium multiplies by transverse division, and this happens every 30-32 hours.
Outside the body, the dangerous microbe is unstable and dies during heat treatment (60-100 degrees Celsius).
Antibodies to the virus
It should be noted that, as a rule, it is possible to detect the causative agent of syphilis on the mucous membranes. Moreover, the disease can be transmitted to others not only through sexual contact. You can get infected through household items: towels, dishes, personal hygiene items . We should not forget that the milk of an infected mother is also an environment in which a pathogen is present, that is, a child can also become infected with a sexually transmitted disease. The situation is aggravated by the fact that if there is a pale treponema in the blood, the body is not able to develop immunity to syphilis, which means that any person can get it again after treatment.
However, it should be noted that many people who became victims of the aforementioned ailment produced antibodies to syphilis virus: in the primary and secondary episodes, in 88% and 76% of patients, respectively. In the rest of the patients, “protective” cells were completely absent. In particular, lgM antibodies are completely absent in those who have been treated for syphilis earlier. However, it is a mistake to assume that the absence of “protective” cells is a sign of “unqualified” treatment. Keep in mind that only in 20% of cases it is possible to detect antibodies to treponema at the latent stage of the development of the disease.
Stages
Of course, pale treponema is a serious health hazard. Symptoms of infection can be different. Consider the issue in more detail.
First stage
In the initial phase of the disease, a person develops a chancroid that is hard in structure on the mucous membrane of the mouth, rectum, or genitals.
Also, the patient has an increase in local lymph nodes. 4-6 weeks after the first signs appear, the ulcers heal.
Second stage
In the central phase of the course of the disease, a person develops a syphilitic rash on the body of a symmetrical shape. The patient is tormented by headaches, his body temperature rises, he feels unwell. In addition, all lymph nodes increase, in some cases hair loss occurs, and genital warts form on the genitalia.
Already at the first stage, measures must be taken to treat such a dangerous ailment as syphilis. Pale treponema, if it is not detected in time, can cause irreparable harm to health. As a rule, this happens in the third stage of the disease.
Third stage
The advanced form of syphilis is characterized by the following: a person is affected by the nervous system, brain and spinal cord, as well as the internal organs.
Treatment methods
Of course, at the initial stage it is not always possible to recognize that pale treponema has entered the human body.
Treatment in this case is reduced to zero. It would be a mistake to say that today it is impossible to cure the complicated form of syphilis.
It should be borne in mind that the sooner the bacterium is detected, the less time it will take to restore health. Treatment of the disease at the initial stage on average takes 2-3 months, but if it is a neglected condition, then the rehabilitation of the body can last 1.5-2 years.
Antibiotics
The first and most effective way to kill the bacteria that causes syphilis is antibiotics. Moreover, it is optimal to use penicillin preparations. Naturally, a specific medicine should be recommended by your doctor, since antibiotics differ in the degree of antibacterial effect and the duration of the effect. In some cases, the administration of penicillin preparations is contraindicated due to individual intolerance. Then the doctor recommends antibiotics of alternative pharmacological classes: azithromycins, fluoroquinolones, streptomycin, macrolides, tetracyclines.
In addition, the patient is prescribed medications that act to strengthen the body's immune system.
The fact is that pale treponema has a unique ability to resist immune cells, however, a high titer of antibodies to the bacteria does not allow it to exhibit excessive activity.
It must be emphasized that during the period of treatment it is necessary to observe hygienic recommendations, in particular, one should refrain from intimacy. Otherwise, your partner is at risk and after some time may infect the person again.
Determining whether syphilis has been cured is not an easy task. The problem is that the external signs of this disease can “evaporate” with a partial cure of the disease. The effectiveness of treatment methods can be judged by the results of serological reactions, which, it should be noted, can be both false negative and false positive.
Remember that syphilis is a social ailment, therefore, its treatment must be approached seriously and responsibly.