
Syphilis is a sexually transmitted bacterial infection that has virtually disappeared thanks to penicillin, but has slowly made a comeback in recent years.
Health experts say Montrealers have no immunity to the disease, and cases are on the rise, along with many other sexually transmitted diseases.
Fortunately, this infection is easily treatable.
“These infections were very common until the invention of antibiotics in the mid-20th century, but since the introduction of penicillin, it has become much easier to treat these infections.” said cardiologist and epidemiologist Dr. Christopher Labos.
Although syphilis is curable and can usually be resolved with one course of antibiotics in its early stages, untreated it can lead to disability, neurological damage, and even death.
“The worst-case scenario is to contract what is called tertiary syphilis, which causes permanent neurological damage to the brain and spinal cord. So people are left with a neurological disability that never goes away. ,” Dr. Rabo said.
Doctors believe the resurgence of syphilis and other sexually transmitted infections is because many young people don’t take it seriously enough.
“People don’t take sexually transmitted infections as seriously as they used to. Perhaps that’s partly because doctors are harder to access these days, just because there are more barriers to accessing the health care system.” ,” Dr. Labos said.
Congenital syphilis is a disease in which a pregnant woman is infected with syphilis and her baby is infected with syphilis, causing stillbirth and congenital malformations.
The first sign that you may have syphilis is a painless sore. Because it is not painful, most people do not notice the injury and do not seek medical attention.
However, if untreated, the bacteria remain in the body. They can remain dormant in the body for decades before reactivating and damaging organs, including the brain. If your doctor doesn’t take the appropriate swabs and test them to get the correct diagnosis, you may not know you have syphilis and it can stay in your body for years.
“The initial lesions may actually be painless, and most people will go away on their own without treatment. Because syphilis goes away on its own, many people don’t even know they have it. I think that’s why there isn’t one,” he said. . Labos.
The disease can be transmitted in the primary and secondary stages, and in some cases even later.
“That’s when the real damage starts to happen. So if you notice lesions in areas of your body but don’t know what they are, it’s worth going to get tested,” said Dr. Rabo.