What syphilis looks like depends on which of the four stages is involved.
In the primary stage, small chancre sores appear.
Areddish-brown rashon the torso, hands, and feet can emerge during the secondary stage.
Reproduced with permission from ©DermNet New Zealand and © Dr. Richard Ashton www.dermnetnz.org 2023.
With serious disease progression, syphilis can affect the eyes, ears, heart, and nervous system.
This photo contains content that some people may find graphic or disturbing.
Reproduced with permission from ADermNet New Zealand and A Dr. Richard Ashton www.dermnetnz.org 2023.
During some of these phases, rashes and sores can appear on different parts of the body.
This often occurs within three weeks of exposure toT.
pallidumbut can occur within anywhere from 10 to 90 days.
The sore will also ooze fluids that are rich inT.
pallidum.During the primary phase, syphilis is at its most infectious.
There may also be swelling of nearbylymph nodes, such as in the groin.
Without medical attention, the infection will progress to the secondary stage.
In some cases, it may occur before the sore heals.
Syphilis rashes are small and may be flat or raised.
There may also be a dense syphilis rash on the inner thighs and torso.
In people of color, the rash may be lighter than the skin surrounding them.
There may also be moist, wart-like growths on mucous membranes calledcondyloma lata.
However, there may be skin discoloration that will take longer to normalize.
Is Syphilis Curable?
Syphilis is 100% curable with timely antibiotic treatment.
Similar Rashes to Syphilis
There are other conditions and rashes that could be confused with syphilis.
These include:
Diagnosis
Secondary syphilis is diagnosed with a blood test.
Your healthcare provider may also take a swab of an open sore to look for signs ofT.
pallidumin the body fluids, or order a spinal fluid test.
There might be a second test to confirm the bacterium if the blood test is positive.
Some tests will show a positive test result even if you were successfully treated from a previous diagnosis.
How Can I Rule Out Syphilis?
A rash of unknown cause should be seen by a healthcare provider as soon as possible.
Summary
Syphilis is an STI that can cause rash and sores at different stages of the infection.
There may also be wart-like growths on mucous membranes.
During the tertiary stage, tumor-like sores called gumma can develop on the skin and spread to underlying bones.
Gumma can also develop in the brain, heart, muscles, and other internal organs.
If left untreated, the impacts of tertiary syphilis can prove fatal.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.About Syphilis.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Sexually transmitted infections treatment guidelines, 2021: syphilis.
