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Syphilis - tertiary    See images

Overview | Symptoms | Treatment | Prevention

Alternative names:

Late syphilis; Tertiary syphilis

Definition:

A late phase of the sexually transmitted disease syphilis, caused by the spirochete Treponema pallidum.

Causes and Risks

Tertiary syphilis is a late stage of the disease which can follow the initial infection, primary syphilis by many years (3-15). Secondary syphilis is the stage which precedes this one if the disease is not treated.

In tertiary syphilis, the spirochetes, have continued to reproduce for years. Pockets of damage accumulate in various tissues such as the bones, skin, nervous tissue, heart, and arteries. These lesions are called gummas and are very destructive. Lesions in the central nervous system produce neurological disease called neurosyphilis and various presentation as called tabes dorsalis, general paresis and optic atrophy. Lesions of the heart, heart valves, and aorta can lead to aneurysms, valvular heart disease, and aortitis.

Tertiary syphilis is less frequently seen today than in the past because of early detection and adequate treatment. The incidence of tertiary syphilis is approximately 5 per 100,000 individuals annually in the U.S.

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