Follow up: STD Symptoms

[pce50]

Hi Doctor, This is in reference to a previous post:  [Q: STD symptoms - pce50: 10/02/2005 A: STD symptoms - Forum-M.D.-HHH: 10/03/2005].  

I managed an HIV test [Home Access] and it’s negative at 120 days!

I have, as you recommend, made an appointment with a doctor [in 3 weeks!!]. I chose a Neurologist because I have neuro symptoms that started 30 days after the infection [neck pain, fasciculations, jerks at sleep time and burning paresthesias in the feet, arms and legs].

Because you thought my symptoms were potentially either syphilis, primary herpes [despite painless palatal ulcer] or HIV and I have ruled out HIV:

• Is it possible syphilis [latent + secondary] can also cause diffuse paresthesias and something akin to peripheral neuropathy?
• With syphilis, can the secondary stage occur just a week after infection and concurrently with a primary lesion?

Please be assured that I have not had sex with anybody since this occurred.

Thanks for the help!!

[H. Hunter Handsfield, M.D.]

Just have a standard syphilis blood test, if not yet done; it will be reliable if done at least 8 weeks after acquiring the infection or 2-3 weeks after the oral ulcer.  In the entire US, fewer than 5000 new cases of syphlis occur per year, except in gay men--so on that basis alone, the odds are very low.  But to answer your specifc question, syphlis this recently acquried would not cause those symptoms.  Accelerated secondary syphilis is extremely rare; the only case I have ever seen was in an HIV-infected gay man, and even it was not as rapid as one week.

Good luck--  HHH, MD