Today, syphilis is considered a rather dangerous disease. Its causative agent is pale treponema, which is transmitted from a sick person to a healthy one mainly during unprotected intercourse. The bacterium affects the entire body, causing a certain number of signs. Symptoms of syphilis in men are very similar to women.
It is worth noting that over the past few years, the frequency of infection has increased significantly. The sooner you start treatment, the more likely it becomes a complete recovery - in the later stages, getting rid of the disease is quite problematic. That is why everyone should know what the symptoms of syphilis in men and women are.
The incubation period of the disease . The period of the latent development of bacteria in the body can vary significantly, but on average it is a month. At this time, the disease does not manifest itself. Bacteria move in the lymphatic fluid. Here they begin to multiply intensively. At the end of the latent period, microorganisms enter the bloodstream and begin to intensively spread throughout all organs and systems. It is customary to distinguish three main periods of the development and progression of the disease.
Symptoms of the first stage of syphilis . The first signs of syphilis in men are the formation of the so-called hard chancre - a small, oval and hard sore that forms at the site of infection; in most cases, it appears on the head or foreskin of the penis, but a non-standard place of penetration is also possible - the oral cavity, mucous membranes. It makes no sense to cauterize the chancre, since by the time it ripens, the human body is already completely infected.
After some time, the patient can notice a sharp increase in those lymph nodes that are located closer to the infectious gates. During this period, pathogenic microorganisms begin to spread rapidly throughout the tissues and organs. The patient complains of fever, weakness, aching, pain in the joints or bones, as well as migraines.
Symptoms of syphilis in men: second stage . As a rule, the secondary period lasts quite a long time - from 2 to 4 years or more. Moreover, the patient is diagnosed with temporary exacerbations of the disease, which are quickly replaced by periods of remission and temporary welfare.
Syphilis in men is manifested by lesions of the skin and mucous membranes. The patient complains of a rash. Quite characteristic of the disease is the so-called "necklace of Venus" - a rash on the neck. In addition, the skin may be covered with papules. As a rule, rashes are very plentiful and almost completely cover the affected areas of the skin. Quite often, the patient notices intense hair loss, and then complete or partial baldness.
Along with these, the defeat of the musculoskeletal system and nervous system begins. But these processes very rarely have any external signs.
At the end of the secondary period, the disease can either go into a latent form when a person becomes a carrier of bacterial cysts, or the tertiary period begins.
Symptoms of syphilis in men: the third stage of development . Separate granulomas begin to appear on the skin, which gradually grow. During their development, destruction of the skin, the formation of deep wounds, ulcers or even perforations are observed. It affects not only the skin, but also the soft tissues, mucous membranes, organs. As the disease progresses, deformation of the bones, joints and muscles begins. The nervous system also suffers - the patient is constantly harassed by specific meningitis, which, under certain circumstances, can lead to irreversible changes in the nerve centers or even death.