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Hello Doctors I have a simple question. I am an African American male from California, I am in my forties. I had unprotected oral sex about 4 months ago (with a white female) and I never developed any signs of symptoms till now. I have what looks like a shanker on my penis and I must say I am somewhat concerned. My questions to you are since the encounter I have taken Doxycycline 2x's a day for ten days, about 13 days after the encounter and about a month ago I was on Amoxicillin for a sinus infection. I had sex with my wife after taking the Doxy and we have had sex a total of three times since the encounter. Questions: (1) Could I have a shanker or what I think is a shanker on my penis and have a negative syphilis test? I took one on Tuesday and it was non reactive. (2) Could I have passed this to my wife at anytime between the encounter and now?
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
No, you do not fall into the group. As I said, the antbiotics you took pretty much assure thathtis is not a chancre. As I said before, your active sore is very unlikely to be syphilis and far more likely to be something else. The fact that there was pus makes it also possible that this was due to folliculitis or some other non-STD skin infection; the sores associated with syphilis typically do not have pus associated with them. See a doctor. EWH
by Edward W Hook, MD, Jul 30, 2008 09:52PM
The average time from exposure to development of a chancre is 21 days. Like any human illness there is variability and at the extreme chancre appearance can take up to 60 days but the is extraordinarily rare. Typically the chancre appears shortly before the blood test becomes positive but blood test positivity almost never lags more than five days behind appearance of the chancre. EWH
Do I fall into this group? I mean does the fact that I have a chancre mean I may have taken it too soon, still in that five day window. I would think for sure that it would be in my blood stream if, it were able to cause a sore. I am truly confused, my negative test didn't help with an active sore.
The average time from exposure to development of a chancre is 21 days. Like any human illness there is variability and at the extreme chancre appearance can take up to 60 days but the is extraordinarily rare. Typically the chancre appears shortly before the blood test becomes positive but blood test positivity almost never lags more than five days behind appearance of the chancre. EWH
Do I fall into this group? I mean does the fact that I have a chancre mean I may have taken it too soon, still in that five day window. I would think for sure that it would be in my blood stream if, it were able to cause a sore. I am truly confused, my negative test didn't help with an active sore.
The shanker has been there for about six days, but it just opened up and started pussing the last two days. it appears to be healing already and is not as swollen as before. I got green pus and yellow pus out of it and it was pretty uncomfortable but now the pain has lessened. So is it possible to have a shanker and yet test negative for syphilis.. I got a negative test result yesterday.
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
Welcome to the forum. How long has the lesions been there.
It is most unlikely that this is a chancre of syphilis. Syphilis can rarely be acquired through oral sex but it is uncommon. Even more importantly in your situation, either the doxycycline or the amoxicillin you have taken would be expected to have lead to healing soon after you started taking the medication. Finally, after 4 months I would entirely expect for your syphilis blood test to be positive if this was syphilis. Thus I've outlined 3 situations in which it would be most unusual for you to have syphilis. The probability that all 3 unusual situations have occurred in the same person (you) are virtually zero. thus this is likely to be something else. There are many other possibilities including other skin infections (non-STD fungus), allergic reactions or even a skin cancer (don’t let this possibility freak you out- it would be readily curable). You need to see a dermatologist. Hope this helps. EWH
It is most unlikely that this is a chancre of syphilis. Syphilis can rarely be acquired through oral sex but it is uncommon. Even more importantly in your situation, either the doxycycline or the amoxicillin you have taken would be expected to have lead to healing soon after you started taking the medication. Finally, after 4 months I would entirely expect for your syphilis blood test to be positive if this was syphilis. Thus I've outlined 3 situations in which it would be most unusual for you to have syphilis. The probability that all 3 unusual situations have occurred in the same person (you) are virtually zero. thus this is likely to be something else. There are many other possibilities including other skin infections (non-STD fungus), allergic reactions or even a skin cancer (don’t let this possibility freak you out- it would be readily curable). You need to see a dermatologist. Hope this helps. EWH
I know my encounter was oral in nature but, is that normal for the shanker to be on my penis? I only had unprotected oral nothing more. That is what leads me to think I could have given it to my wife if i had it. Please answer my first two questions.
You are reading content posted in the STDs Forum
Herpes spreads by oral, vaginal and anal sex.
Herpes sores blister, then burst, scab and heal.
STIs are the most common cause of genital sores.
Millions of people are diagnosed with STDs in the U.S. each year.
STDs can't be transmitted by casual contact, like hugging or touching.
Syphilis is an STD that is transmitted by oral, genital and anal sex.
