How long am I contagious after treatment?

I was diagnosed with Syphilis last march, I was given two penicillin injectios in the course of two weeks (April the 7th and 14th). I had unprotected sex with my partner on June the 16th (for the first time), and did it four times between that date and July the 1st, since the doctor had told me I was no longer contagious/infectious.

VDRL test revealed my initial serology was 1:32 I got tested on August 1st and it had dropped to 1:8, so I assume the treatment has worked. However FTA-ABS test came out positive again and my doctor said that in that case there could have been a chance of infection. My partner left a couple of days ago on a long business trip for a few months and I'm not sure if I should worry him yet...

(Note: I was diagnosed with syphilis and went through treatment before dating him. He hadn't been sexually active ever, I was his first time, that's why I don't want him to go through such a bad experience specially when he's so busy in a foreign land.

My doctor suggested I took a couple of hematology tests (leukogram and eritrosedimentation) to check if there was any infectious agent in my body related to syphilis, in which case he'd have to get tested.)

My questions are:

1. Was I still infectious by the time I had unprotected sex? Conseidering it had been almost 2 moths after being treated

2. Does having a positive FTA test after the VDRL showed a significant drop in serology (1:32 - 1:8) mean I could still have the syphilis agent active in my body?

and 3. Is taking the reccommended hematology tests completely necessary or should I stop worrying?

[gracefromHHP]

your results are going down and it might take months until you get back to testing negative. Some folks actually will test + on the vrdl for a lifetime even after infected.

you were properly treated and waited far long enough until you had sex with a new partner. It's very unlikely that you still have active syphilis and your partner wasn't likely at any risk at all.  

since your partner was a virgin before you, there' s no way you recently were reinfected unless you doubt your partner's honesty either about prior partners or no partners since with you.

grace

[TheMunchkinlander]

Someone PLEASE help me. I'm dying of anxiety here...

[JessyJames2010]

Hello

So syphilis is a ulcerative STD meaning that the chance of infection was high when you had a genital lesion or ulcer present if you ever did have one.   Since 2 months passed since your treatment, I would say the chance of infection was low.   Also you responded to the medication by a 2 fold drop (1:32 to 1: 16 is one fold; then 1:16 to 1:8 is another fold); this is very good.    It can take some time for the antibodies to go away so you'll prob test positive for a while, so you should test again in another few months.  

The test you describe are a simple WBC count which shows your overall immune function and shows infection.  I have no idea why your physician ordered a ESR, but hey he/she's your physician, so I'd listen to them.  

[TheMunchkinlander]

Thanks!
I did have an ulcer a couple of weeks after the initial infection last year (which I had foolishly mistaken for a bad throat infection) however there where no ulcers present whatsoever when I had sex last june. I had read online that most patients where rendered non-infectious by penicillin after a couple of days, is this true? And even if I still have antibodies, does it mean the infectious agent is still active in me?  

[TheMunchkinlander]

I'm sorry I'm asking the same questions over again, but I'm confused since my doctor told me I couldn't transmit syphilis a week or two after being treated. However after he got the *new* results he seemed to be confused and told me there was still a posibility of infecting others even with no sores present (he said it could be transmitted if there were any lesions caused during intercourse). Who should I listen to? Doctors on this site say that after a couple of days one is no longer infectious, can this be my case?

( http://www.medhelp.org/posts/STDs/How-long-to-wait-for-confirmation-of-effective-syphilis-treatment/show/1486507

http://www.medhelp.org/posts/STDs/How-long-are-you-contagious-after-treatment-for-syphilis/show/1031741 )

[gracefromHHP]

your results are going down and it might take months until you get back to testing negative. Some folks actually will test + on the vrdl for a lifetime even after infected.

you were properly treated and waited far long enough until you had sex with a new partner. It's very unlikely that you still have active syphilis and your partner wasn't likely at any risk at all.  

since your partner was a virgin before you, there' s no way you recently were reinfected unless you doubt your partner's honesty either about prior partners or no partners since with you.

grace