Syphilis

1. What is syphilis?

　Syphilis is an infectious disease transmitted by sexual contact (direct contact with the mucous membranes or skin of others). The main infection route is direct contact between the infected body part and the mucous membranes or skin. Specifically, infection is caused by contact between genital and genital, genital and anus (anal sex), genital and mouth (oral sex), etc.

2. Symptoms

　When infected, various symptoms appear throughout the body, but they can be cured completely by taking medication at an early stage.
　If examinations and treatments are delayed or the disease is left untreated, serious complications can occur to the brain and/or heart. When a pregnant woman is infected with syphilis, the fetus can be infected through the placenta, potentially resulting in stillbirth, premature birth, neonatal death, or malformations.
　The disease is generally treated by taking an antibiotic prescribed on an outpatient basis.

3. Infection prevention

　It is recommended to use a condom to prevent direct contact between the infected part and the mucous membranes or skin. However, since infection can occur even through skin that is not covered by a condom, you should not expect 100% prevention. If you notice any abnormalities with your skin or mucous membranes, refrain from having sexual contact and consult a hospital as soon as possible.