Doubt, is curable if syphilis? Let's deal with

Venereal diseases, including syphilis, is surrounded by many myths and prejudices. Few people have enough detailed and reliable information about methods of prevention, diagnosis and treatment.

For example, many still believe syphilis is an incurable disease, to cure completely which will never be, and therefore worth trying. So today we will try to understand what is true and what is not.

Little history

The first reliable historical data on syphilis belong to 14-15 centuries. Until now, scientists do not know for sure the origins of this disease.

One of the most real versions syphilis was brought to Europe the first expedition of Columbus from America. On the other – it long existed in Europe, and the first mention refers to the Egyptian pharaohs. There are studies that believe that syphilis arose simultaneously with modern humanity somewhere in Africa.

However, objective history study of syphilis and its treatment has more than 5 centuries. But for a long time it remained a mystery to doctors.

The history of the treatment of syphilis

Almost immediately after the appearance of syphilis has become a socially significant disease. The long period of incubation period, slow wave-like current and saving activity of the patient for tens of years – all this created prerequisites for distribution.

In Europe and Russia have taken numerous prohibitions and decrees aimed at curbing syphilis. The organization closed hospitals, preventive examinations of prostitutes, free therapy – all this gave a weak effect. The incidence has grown, and with it mortality, including children.

The main problem was the lack of effective therapies. The scheme used is often not only failed, but have brought real harm. Besides, doctors were mainly treated symptoms that did not affect the number and activity of pathogens in the body.

Of the most common methods of therapy that time it should be noted mercury and sulfur ointments, and medicines based on arsenic. On the one hand, an exclusively local treatment was not effective enough. On the other – these substances do have a detrimental effect on the causative agent of syphilis – pale Treponema. So in some cases, improvement and even recovery.

Already in the twentieth century, with the discovery of Treponema pallidum and the study of its properties had invented a new method of treatment – high temperature. Because this bacterium can grow only within a very narrow temperature range (about 37 degrees), prolonged fever leads to its destruction. A patient with syphilis were infected with malaria, which provoked long-lasting hyperthermia. And although with this treatment the number of deaths was high enough, the principle is used in some cases today. But instead of malaria using special drugs that provide the same effect without the dangerous effects of malaria.

Like many other diseases, a turning point in the therapy occurred after the discovery of antibiotics. The first open and widely used antibiotic, penicillin, was shown to be highly effective in the treatment of syphilis. Interestingly, unlike many other bacteria, Treponema pallidum does not have a mechanism of formation of resistance to antibiotics. Therefore, today penicillin remains the drug of first choice in the treatment of syphilis. Other types of antibiotics like erythromycin, tetracycline and cephalosporin, is used only in the case of an individual reaction to penicillin.

Modern treatment of syphilis

Thanks to the invention of antibiotics, today, syphilis can be cured completely and forever. A course of penicillin can get rid of all pathogens in the body, and means to prevent further relapses.

This therapy is enough to completely get rid of primary and secondary syphilis. It's more complicated with tertiary,when changes are internal organs. In this case, it is not enough to get rid of pathogens, as has already appeared irreversible changes. Require a complex targeted therapy, helping to fix or at least compensate for disease damage to the body.

Antibiotics often complement the vitamins that support the immune system and stimulating drugs. They improve your own body defenses and greatly speed up the recovery.

Harder treated neurosyphilis. The drug has reached the brain, injections in the lumbar space. Such complicated manipulations can not always be performed in a dermatovenerologic dispensary, so you may need hospitalization in the neurology Department where there are personnel able to competently make such injections.

Today, there are simplified schemes, which treated syphilis. Instead of 8 shots a day, a single injection of the antibiotic prolonged action once a week. Such therapy is often offered by private clinics as more convenient. In particular, they do not require hospitalization in a dermatovenerologic dispensary for a relatively long period of time, and treatment can be managed without disturbing the normal rhythm of life. But some doctors still refer to such a scheme rather skeptical and recommend after graduation undergo a thorough examination to ensure the effectiveness of the treatment.

After completing the course of treatment

Since syphilis refers to the socially significant diseases, an important issue is the control of recovery after one treatment. Sometimes even Polga of therapy is not enough to fully overcome the disease, and it needs to be adjusted and repeat.

Therefore, even after the end of treatment, for some time patient is registered in the kozhvendispansere and must undergo regular examinations and tests.

Importantly! Some tests for syphilis, such as Wassermann reaction and ELISA, for a long time remain positive even after a full recovery, so to confidently say, there is syphilis or not, use more accurate methods of diagnosis, for example, DAC. It is not based on finding antibodies that persist for a long time in the body after recovery, and the definition itself of pathogens – Treponema pallidum.

The period during which the person is registered, depends on the speed of the start of treatment. So for patients who have had preventative treatment, he is 3 months. If at the end of the results for syphilis are negative, they are removed from the register. For primary and secondary fresh syphilis control period is increased up to 1-2 years. Late secondary and tertiary require at least 3 years of observation.

In addition to receiving negative test results this period for deregistration may require additional study and consultations of the specialists – otorhinolaryngologist, ophthalmologist, neurologist and so on.

Despite the fact that often it takes time, really syphilis can be completely cured. After the course the disease will never disturb a man, and he will be able to return to normal life.

For example, in order to avoid potential threats to the fetus, women who have had syphilis, it is recommended to carefully protect themselves from unwanted pregnancy until the deregistration. But after that the risk of intrauterine infection of the baby with syphilis is not considered, and you can start to plan pregnancy.

However, sometimes difficulties arise: in case of intolerance of penicillin, the violation of the regimen, re-infection from a partner who didn't undergo treatment. But even in these cases, nothing is irreversible: you can always adjust or repeat the course, to select an individual therapy and so on. The main thing to know: syphilis treatment. And the sooner to go to the doctor, the easier it will be to get rid of it.

To treatment is not required

Despite the fact that modern drugs allow in most cases to completely get rid of this disease, it still remains dangerous and unpleasant. In particular, the need for long-term monitoring at venereologist brings certain discomfort. Therefore, it is best to consider their behavior in advance so as to reduce the risk of infection. To do this, in most cases it is enough to observe the banal recommendations:

• Safe sexual behavior: lack of casual sex, sex with unknown and untested partners, a large number of sexual partners.
• Use barrier methods of contraception – condom and latex wipes. This is important not only vaginal, but also other kinds of sex.
• Regular examination at venereologist, gynecologist or urologist. For people who lead an active sexual life should at least once a year to be screened and tested for the basic STDs, including syphilis.
• After a casual sexual intercourse, especially with a partner whomay be infected with syphilis, you should immediately, within 48 hours to consult a doctor and undergo preventive therapy.