Syphilis is transmitted? Clearly and in detail answer question

At the level of the collective unconscious there are many myths about syphilis, including about the transmission. So in this article we will try to deal with this issue as detailed as possible and available.

Characteristics of Treponema pallidum

Before discussing how syphilis is transmitted, it is useful to understand what do we know about the pathogen – pale Treponema. This bacterium belongs to a rather large group of spirochetes, some of which coexist calmly with the person.

Like all spirochetes, Treponema pallidum refers to anaerobic organisms, that is, to existence it does not need oxygen. On the contrary, fresh air goes to it is fatal. So the bacterium prefers to live in the tissues, mucous membranes, in extracellular space and body fluids.

Outside the human body Treponema dying fast enough. Falling on a dry surface, it loses its mobility almost immediately. In wet environments remains active, and hence the ability to infect, okolo12 hours. After the death of the media some time to preserve the mobility, but not more than 3-4 days.

Another weakness Treponema is the temperature. She feels comfortable and can multiply only within a narrow range around 37 degrees. When boiling instantly destroyed when heated to 60 degrees for 15-20 minutes. At the same time, low temperatures tolerate remarkably well. For example, even after prolonged freezing can return to activity.

The likelihood of Contracting syphilis at different stages

There are four stages of this disease, and each of them the probability and mechanisms of transmission of syphilis vary.

• Incubation period. The time between infection and the first visible manifestations of. At this stage, the Treponema is already fixed in vaginal secretions of women and sperm of men. Through contact with them infection.
• Primary syphilis. On the site of the infection appears the primary ulcer is a chancre. At this stage the pathogens are localized directly in the area of education. Infection occurs through contact with a chancre, for example, during sexual intercourse. If the chancre appeared on the mucous membrane, then through a kiss you can obtain a sufficient number of pathogens. As before, remain infectious semen and vaginal secretions.
• Secondary syphilis. The second stage – the soft chancre. At this stage, there are numerous weeping rashes all over the body. In this period, the patient is considered the most contagious, as in separable of these lesions contain a large number of treponemes. Upon contact with damaged skin and possible infection.
• Tertiary syphilis. Currently, this form is extremely rare because it only occurs during long-term (several years) for secondary syphilis without treatment. The skin form the characteristic protrusions of gum, but they are poorly infectious, with the exception of the late stage of decomposition Gumm.

Important condition of infection! The transfer is possible only if the pathogens get on the skin or mucous membranes with minor injuries! Small cracks, scratches, bites, cuts, and any other violations of the integrity of the skin become gateways for Treponema pallidum. Perfectly smooth and healthy skin is protection.

The possible route of transmission of syphilis

In the modern classification there are several ways you can get infected with syphilis:

• Sexual.
• Household.
• Transfusional.
• Medical.
• From mother to child.

To better understand the mechanisms and ways of protection against them, consider each of the possible ways in detail.

Sexual transmission of syphilis

It accounts for the absolute majority of cases, the order of 95-97%. There are two mechanisms:

• Via semen or vaginal secretions, which containa sufficient number of pathogens. Unprotected sexual contact is virtually guaranteed transfer, because the genital mucosa are always present microreserve.
• Through direct skin contact with chancre or other sores. In this separable weeping sores contain a large quantity treponem.

It should be noted that the classical vaginal sex women are infected with more probability for a single contact with the patient the probability is around 60-80%. For men this value is significantly lower. The reason for this distribution is that the mucous of the vagina women are more prone to microreserves than a man's penis.

At the same time, unprotected anal contact, you can almost guarantee infection for both men and women.

As for oral sex and kissing, it is quite complex question. If suffering from syphilis for a man to have oral contact with a healthy person, the chance of infection is very high, because few people think about the use of condoms in contacts of this kind. The reverse transfer method is also possible, if the partner has a rash in the oral cavity. Infection directly through saliva while kissing, in the absence of syphilitic ulcers almost impossible.

Household method of infection with syphilis

Today, doctors don't like the diagnosis "syphilis of household", considering its just a poorly collected history. However, because of the ability of pathogens to remain viable for several hours in wet environments, it also cannot be ignored. Even now recorded cases of infection of children from parents.

The transmission link can be towels, toothbrushes, utensils and other hygiene products and things that people use constantly. Most often, transmission of syphilis by this method is only possible for people living in the same house and is constantly in contact with each other.

The method of transfusion transmission of syphilis

This refers to the infected directly through blood transfusion or direct contact. Its probability is extremely low.

Today donated blood is tested for syphilis, which eliminates the transmission. And during the so-called seronegative period when the usual tests do not yet show the presence of the disease in the blood does not contain pathogens. And even in the case of a strange coincidence if the previous circumstances do not exclude the possibility of infection, donor blood is subjected to prolonged settling, which eliminates the likelihood of transmission in this way.

Theoretically, it is possible to get infected through blood when using a syringe. But you need to get into the so-called period of septic syphilis, when agents actively penetrate into the blood.

Professional risks of infection with syphilis

Theoretically, if to you the doctor has worked with patients with syphilis in an active stage, there is the possibility of infection through the tools, but it is vanishingly small. Basic principles of processing instruments and surfaces, and the use of disposable gloves makes such cases extremely rare. Treponema pallidum does not apply to resistant bacteria, so it is easily destroyed by methods of disinfection.

Some occupational hazards can trap the doctors who work with people infected with syphilis theoretically, their analyses and biological fluids. But the observance of the usual safety rules guarantees that this will not happen. Recorded case of infection of the pathologist during the autopsy of a patient with syphilis.

As syphilis is transmitted from mother to child?

This is one of the most likely and dangerous paths. Suffering from syphilis if the woman gets pregnant or becomes infected during pregnancy, infection of the fetus is virtually guaranteed.

There are several mechanisms:

• Via infected placenta. Most often, the infection occurs in the second trimester of pregnancy. Treponema amaze the placenta to protect the fetus from external infections, and then penetrate into the fruit. Intrauterine infection often leads to fetal death and spontaneous abortion or severe abnormalities, often incompatible with life.
• With the passage of the birth canal. In some cases, for example, when a not-so-infectious tertiary syphilis, the child infected during childbirth from the vaginal secretions of the mother.
• Through breast milk. At natural feeding of the child there is a risk of infection, because breast milk also contains pathogens.

And if the second and third transmission method is quite simple to eliminate through caesarean section and artificial compounds, to protect the child from the first quite difficult.

Summary

In conclusion, it is useful to reiterate the most important facts about how syphilis is transmitted:

• The vast majority of cases, connected with sexual contact, vaginal, oral or anal.
• For infection required contact with infected fluids – semen, vaginal secret, the secretions of syphilitic lesions.
• Infection via saliva is unlikely, but a kiss can be dangerous if in the mouth of the patient has ulcers and rashes.
• Domestic transmission of syphilis is possible, but it takes a long cohabitation and poor hygiene.
• Infection of the fetus during pregnancy often ends in his death, rarely congenital syphilis.

Remember these simple facts and you will have a good understanding of how to protect yourself from syphilis and their families!