Syphilis

Generalities
Agent	Spirochete: Treponema pallidum, subsp. palidum
Incubation period	10 days to 3 months (usually 3 weeks)
Period of transmissibility	During the primary and secondary syphilis
Reservoir	Humans
Modes of transmission	Person-to person transmission: - Sexual transmission with direct contact with infectious exsudats from skin lesions or mucous membranes - Tranplacental transmission - Blood transfusion - Direct contact following unprotected clinical examination of infectious lesions
Clinical presentation	- Primary lesion: chancre appears as indurated painless ulcer with serous exsudates - Secondary skin eruption: maculopapular of the palms and soles with lymphadenopathy - Tertiary: meningitis, meningovascular syphilis, cardiovascular syphilis, gummas on skin , viscera, bones or mucosa - Fetal infection: congenital syphilis with generalized systemic disease and Central Nervous System (CNS) involvment. Congenital syphilis may be asymptomatic in the first weeks of life. Late manifestations include: involvement of the CNS, Hutchinson teeth (small, wide-spaced grayish incissors), saddlenose, sabre shins (periostitis), interstitial keratitis, and deafness
Resources
Case definition	- MOPH circular no. 62 (2007) - MOPH circular no. 64 (2007): Congenital syphilis
Forms	- General reporting form - Syphilis investigation form
Data	Refer to "Surveillance Data" section