Syphilis is a serious sexually transmitted disease. The prevention of syphilis starts with safe sexual relations. The primary danger related to syphilis is that sores of syphilis are open, visible, and infectious during the active stages of infection. Moreover, any contact with infectious so repreventing tissues, or body fluids may lead to the spread of disease. Prevention of syphilis is based on avoidance of contact with infected tissues and fluids. As with other sexually transmitted diseases, the prevention method includes using condoms. In addition, screening of infected individuals is one of the scarce options for preventing the development of disease. Pregnant women, in particular, should undergo testing to prevent syphilis development in infants.
Syphilis is a sexually transmitted disease and may also be passed from a mother to an unborn child. Syphilis is treated with the help of penicillin which is widely available today. Despite the availability of penicillin, there is a rise in syphilis spread. According to the statistics provided by the World Health Organization, 23 million new cases of syphilis were registered in 1999. These statistics reveal that syphilis prevention methods are not effectively communicated. It is important to add those symptoms of syphilis are the same in men and women but they may take 3 months to appear after the infection. Therefore, primary attention should be devoted to preventing syphilis in the first place.
Syphilis is passed on through direct contact with a person who is infected with syphilis and/or has open syphilis sores. Nevertheless, it does not mean that any contact can lead to the transmission of syphilis. For example, syphilis cannot be transmitted by sharing baths or toilets. However, it is strongly recommended to avoid any oral, vaginal or anal sex with a person who has a syphilis infection. Even an early infectious stage of syphilis (when symptoms are not visible) carries a high risk of syphilis transmission. A person, who has received treatment but did not finish it, is still a carrier of infection and has to start it again from the beginning. In other words, syphilis prevention depends on the knowledge about the partner. It is not advisable to have sexual relations with a partner who did not finish the course of syphilis treatment.
Finally, syphilis treatment does not prevent the acquisition of syphilis in the future. While treatment kills the bacteria, the damage done to organs cannot be repaired. Thus, syphilis prevention is the only effective method to remain healthy and free of sexually transmitted diseases. Use of condoms, regular testing, and frank conversations with a sexual partner may help avoid syphilis infection. However, the research reveals that using a condom does reduce the spread of syphilis but it is not effective in protecting against the infection. A condom does not cover all sores in affected areas while direct skin contact is enough to result in syphilis transmission.
In conclusion, it is not enough to rely on condoms to avoid transmission of syphilis infection. A person infected with syphilis is a carrier of infection and any sexual intercourse may lead to transmission. Therefore, the only effective method to prevent syphilis transmission is to avoid sexual relations with an infected person. If a person has sex with multiple partners, for example, the risk of getting a syphilis infection is very high.