Syphilis
Syphilis is sexually transmitted disease caused by a bacteria, that is called Treponema pallidum. Treponema Pallidum is a spiral shaped bacteria. Which are serious pathogens. Treponema Pallidum causes serious infections including syphilis,yaws and Lyme disease. Syphilis is primarily transmitted sexually through oral , anal and vaginal sex or direct genital to genital contact. Babies also get syphilis during pregnancy, which is called congenital syphilis.Syphilis can not be transmitted through sharing the same toilet, using another person's utensils.
The symptoms of syphilis develop in four stages, such as primary, secondary, latent and tertiary stage. In the primary stage, there are the lesions around the genital area. These lesions have a hard base, raised border and fluid filled with Treponema bacteria. In the second stage, itchy rash spreads to the entire body to the palm of hand and the sole of feet, looking like a reddish spot, also accompanied by hair loss, muscle pain, sore throat and swollen lymph nodes. In the latent stage, there are no signs or symptoms. At this stage, without treatment, syphilis can last for year. Tertiary stage, in which syphilis can lead to neurological problems, liver and heart also.Tereponema pallidum can not grow on the culture medium. It can be diagnosed by direct and indirect methods. The Direct method includes microscopic examination of fluid smear, hematology examination and the NAA method.The indirect method is based on serological test for the detection of anti - syphilis.
Symptoms
- severe headache
- trouble with muscle movements;
- muscle weakness or paralysis (not able to move certain parts of the body);
- Numbness
- hearing loss;
- balance difficulties
- dizziness
- eye pain
Cause/Risk factor
- People who have HIV.
- People who have a partner with syphilis.
- People who have sex without a barrier method like a condom or with multiple partners.
Diagnosis
Hematology Department
Hematological test is a method to diagnosed treponema pallidum with using special stain. Silver stain is silver nitrate based staining method that are use in immunohistochemical stain in laboratory also called warthin-starry stain(WS). which is used for detection of spirochetes(T.pallidum). but some times Dieterle stain also stains to detect T.pallidum. The specimen is removed from the chancres or lesions. To make a smear of fluid on a microscopic slide then perfume staining process and observed under a microscope.
Dieterle stain showing Treponema pallidum(in black), the organism that causes syphilis.
Reference:
1. https://samedaystdtesting.com/syphilis-testing/
2. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Syphilis
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