Treatment of Syphilis in Nigeria including Drugs
I met two people who have syphilis over this outgoing week – Both are men
Do you have an ulcer on your organ? – Painless, itchy ulcer?
You should read this!
Let me start by saying, I have the permission of share this provided they remain anonymous.
You wake up one morning and while you take your morning shower, you notice a little bump that have now become an ulcer or wound.
The ulcer is painless – this is usually the 1st stage.
The ulcer or blisters of syphilis can be noticed on the genitals, the anus or mouth Mouth
Both patients like many others are sexually active.
Syphilis is spread via:
1) Having unprotected vaginal, anal or oral sex
2) Sharing of unclean needles
3) Transmission of unclean blood
4) From mother to baby by pregnancy, in labour too.
Other ways include;
• Sharing sex toys with infected people
See;
Syphilis, like other Sexually Transmitted Diseases, increases your risk of getting HIV.
The HIV worsens syphilis and syphilis worsens HIV.
But how do you know you may have syphilis?
• If yiu have multiple sexual partners
• you have unprotected sex
• Painless sore on penis or vagina
Other ways to know you have syphilis –
• Rashes often on palm of hand or sole of foot
• You feel ill
• headaches
• Fever
• Weight Loss.
I should stress that if your sexual partner have a sore that is NOT PAINFUL, on penis or vagina, it is most likely syphilis.
If you don’t treat syphilis properly or early enough, you risk damaging your
• Heart
• Brain
• Loss of sight
• Skin
• Bone Bone
• Liver etc.
Why am I making this post?
Syphilis is easily treated with antibiotics.. this is why I like the disease.
Joking with syphilis and not getting immediate medical care will result in future complications that many regret.
So while it is easily treated with antibiotics, many people miss this and pay dearly later in life.
As for every STI, Care should be taken.
TREATMENT OF SYPHILIS
Penicillin is the drug of choice. Currently, a single does of 2.4 megaunits of intramuscular benzathine penicillin is recommended for early syphilis (<2 years duration), with three doses at weekly intervals being recommended in late syphilis. Doxycycline recommended for patients allergic to to penicillin, except in pregnancy. Azithromycun is a further alternative asides the recommended first two antibiotics.
In pregnancy, penicillin is also a drug of choice. Erythromycin can be given if there is penicillin hypersensitivity, but it crosses the placenta very poorly; the newborn baby must therefore be treated with a course of penicillin.
Injection ceftriaxone 1g daily for 10 days can also help treat syphilis.
If you know somebody on treatment for syphilis, then this points will be helpful;
1). Avoid having sex until treatment is finished, the sores have healed.
2). Get all ur recent sexual partners tested n treated, if u don’t want to get reinfected.
3). Regular yearly blood check up
CREDITS:
Dr Emeka Okolo
David’s Principles and Practice of Medicine
