syphilis

THE FACTS

PROTECT YOURSELF + PROTECT YOUR PARTNER
PROTECT YOURSELF + PROTECT YOUR PARTNER

THE FACTS

•	 Syphilis (SI fi lis) is a sexually transmitted disease (STD).

•	 Anyone can get syphilis.

•	 Many people who have syphilis don’t know it. You can 

have syphilis even if you don’t notice any symptoms.

•	 The first symptom is a painless, round, and red

sore that can appear anywhere you’ve had sex.

•	 You can pass syphilis to others without knowing it.

•	 Washing	the	genitals,	urinating,	or	douching	after	sex		

will	not	prevent	syphilis.

•	 Syphilis is easy to treat and cure.

•	 If you do not treat syphilis, it can lead to serious health

problems.
PROTECT YOURSELF + PROTECT YOUR PARTNER

HOW DOES SOMEONE GET SYPHILIS? 

•	 You	can	get	syphilis	by	having	sex	with	someone	who	has	it.		

“Having	sex”	means	having	oral,	anal,	or	vaginal	contact.

•	 You	can	get	syphilis	when	your	mouth,	genitals,	or	another	

part	of	your	body	touches	a	syphilis	sore	on	a	person	who	

has	the	disease.	

•	 If	you	are	pregnant,	you	can	pass	syphilis	on	to	your	baby	

even	if	you	don’t	know	you	are	infected.	

Can I get syphilis by having oral sex?

Yes. Syphilis sores can be in the mouth as well as on the genitals. 

If you give or receive oral sex, you may expose yourself to syphilis. 

This is true even if you can’t see a sore. Using a condom for oral sex 

can reduce your risk.

Can pregnant women get syphilis?

Yes, a woman can get syphilis when she is pregnant. Being pregnant 

does not protect you or your baby against any STD. 

If you are pregnant and you think you may have syphilis, see 

your doctor right away because you can pass the infection to 

your baby during pregnancy. 

Syphilis is extremely serious for babies. Your doctor can recommend 

medicine that is safe to take while you’re pregnant.
What are the symptoms of syphilis? 

The disease has four stages: primary, secondary, latent, and tertiary. 

PRIMARY STAGE SYMPTOMS

During the primary stage of syphilis, you may have one or more 

painless sores on the genitals or in the mouth, anus, or rectum. 

The name for this type of sore is a chancre (SHANK er). 

The sore is likely to be wherever you had sex. If you had oral sex, 

it might be in your mouth or on your genitals. It does not hurt, so 

you might not even notice you have a sore unless you look for it.

The sore lasts 3 to 6 weeks, and it heals on its own. If you don’t get 

treatment, the disease will progress to the next stage.

SECONDARY STAGE SYMPTOMS

During the secondary stage of syphilis, you might have a rash on your 

hands and feet or on other parts of your body. Syphilis rashes are often 

red or brown and usually don’t itch. Other symptoms may include 

fever, sore throat, muscle aches, headaches, hair loss, and feeling 

tired. These symptoms may go away on their own. If you don’t get 

treatment, the disease will progress to the next stage.
LATENT STAGE SYMPTOMS

In the latent stage of the disease, you have no symptoms, but the 

disease can be detected by a blood test from your doctor. Syphilis can 

remain hidden for many years in the latent stage. 

TERTIARY STAGE SYMPTOMS

Tertiary stage syphilis is very serious. It can begin after you’ve had 

untreated syphilis for a while, possibly many years—even if you 

never noticed symptoms. Symptoms of tertiary syphilis may include 

difficulty moving your arms and legs, paralysis, numbness, blindness, 

and heart disease.

When should I be tested?

You should be tested for syphilis right away if: 

•	 You	have	any	symptoms,	such	as	a	painless,	round	sore	that	

may appear on your genitals or in your mouth. 

•	 Your	partner	has	syphilis	or	symptoms	that	might	be	syphilis,	

even if you don’t have symptoms.

•	 Every	pregnant	woman	should	be	tested	for	syphilis.	Tell	your	

doctor if you plan to become pregnant. 

How can I find out if I have syphilis? 

Ask your doctor to give you a blood test for syphilis.
How is syphilis treated?

One shot of penicillin, an antibiotic, will cure a person who has had 

syphilis for less than a year. More doses are needed to treat someone 

who has had syphilis for longer than a year.

Can I get syphilis again after I’ve been treated?

Yes, you can get syphilis again. You can get it from an untreated 

partner or a new partner who is infected.

If I have syphilis, what does that mean for my partner?

•	 Your	partner	may	have	syphilis,	too.

•	 Be	sure	to	tell	your	recent	sex	partners,	so	they	can	get	tested	

and treated.

•	 Avoid	having	sex	until	you’ve	both	been	treated,	so	you	don’t	

re-infect each other.

•	 Avoid	sexual	contact	with	anyone	if	you	see	an	unusual	sore.
What happens if I don’t get treated? 

•	 Syphilis	stays	in	your	body	if	it	is	not	treated.	

•	 It	can	damage	your	heart,	brain,	eyes,	and	other	organs.	This	

damage may not show up for many years and could kill you.

•	 You	might	also	pass	the	disease	on	to	other	people.

Does syphilis affect my risk of getting HIV?

Yes. If you have syphilis, you have a higher chance of getting HIV. 

If you have syphilis and HIV, you can spread both diseases more 

easily. 

How can I lower my risk for syphilis? 

•	 The	surest way to prevent syphilis is not to have sex or to have sex 

only with someone who’s not infected and who has sex only with you.

•	 Condoms	can	reduce	your	risk	of	getting	syphilis	if	used	the	right	

way every single time you have sex. But a condom protects only the 

area it covers. Areas the condom doesn’t cover can become infected. 

•	 Using	drugs	or	alcohol	may	increase	your	risk	of	getting	syphilis.

•	 Get	a	blood	test	from	your	doctor	once	a	year	in	case	you	got	

syphilis and don’t know it.
A message for everyone 

PROTECT YOURSELF AND YOUR PARTNER.

Always see a doctor if your partner is being treated for syphilis. You 

and your partner need to be treated. Also see the doctor if you or 

your partner notice any symptoms, such as a painless red sore.

If you have syphilis, you should be tested for other STDs. Be sure to 

tell your recent sex partners, so they can get tested too. Talk openly 

and honestly with your partner about syphilis and other STDs.

For more information

•	 Talk	to	your	doctor.

•	 Call	1-800-CDC-INFO.

•	 Visit	www.cdc.gov/std/syphilis.

CDC Publication No. 99-9396