Syphilis help

[EMS69]

I have been with my wife for over 17 years. We have been honest each other until today that she is infected Syphilis bacteria. How come she is positive and I negative? I know my self never have any sexual relation other than her but she try to deny that she didn't have from anyone.  It is known that this disease comes from only sexual contact.  Now my question is what should me my position? This disease will not go away forever.  I don't want to be infected is there any way to be permanent free if I can forgive her?  I am sure she made some move to the others guy once or more.  Help me any good advice and we have smart child and other thing. Thanks

[auntiejessi]

Oh and I don't mean just in case she was actually recently infected - I know she wasn't.  I mean just in case she hasn't ever been treated, because untreated syphilis can cause all kinds of problems, including brain and organ damage, and death.

Aj

[auntiejessi]

I've actually worked with many people from Africa who have had similar situations, so I'm glad you've gotten some good information.

Is she going to be treated anyway?  My recommendation would be to treat it, just in case, but your wife can talk to her doctor about that.

Aj

[EMS69]

Hello thanks for all your help.  Today I got good news it looks my marriage is saved.  We were at STI department and explained to me well. Her syphilis RPR was/is nonreactive but T.pallidum(IgG/IgM) CMIA is reactive and also Syphilis TP.PA is reactive. He said if it was early infected it should show VDRL or RPR active and shows numbers like 1.14 or 1.16 kinds of thing but there is no any number on her result.  The way he said, this could come when she was a kid through touching some wounded person, and also says this not transferable that is why I am not or my kid infected.   These kinds of test just come not to long ago may be 3 or 4 years that is why didn't shows on her previous test (1999) while she was pregnant. Thanks again I was devastated.  Sorry for my broken English We emigrated from Africa probably she brought it from there. All the best.  Her paper result shows as follow: -

T.pallidum (IgG/IgM) CMIA          Reactive
Syphilis RPR                             NonReactive
Syphilis TP.PA                          Reactive

Final Interpretation: -
Syphilis                 ""Confirmatory testing is consistent with recent           cc MOH
                               or priorsyphilis: results should be interpreted in
                               Conjunction with history and symptoms""

[auntiejessi]

If she got vaccinated for hep a and b, I'd guess that is why those tests are positive, but there are ways to read it and her doctor should be able to tell the difference between an active infection and immunity from vaccine.

If she gets properly treated with medication, it won't come back and infect you unless she is re-exposed to it.

Aj

[EMS69]

Hello again thanks for every thing.  One more please, like I said before her result on 1999 was syphilis screen test noncreative.  I don't know how relates for this but her hepatitis A and B showed positive but C is negative we did immunize 10 years ago too. Sorry again this Syphilis bacteria after she diagnose is it possible will come back and affected me?

Again thanks for all your help

[auntiejessi]

I don't know what to tell you about the big picture here - that's a lot to decide.

Has she been treated?  

It didn't come from the toilet, and I'd wonder what her test results actually were.  Syphilis is really rare in Canada, so this is all strange.

Aj

[EMS69]

Hello thanks for your time and answer, we just found out by taking blood test.  Her result is positive but mine is negative.  My child 9 years old now born here in Canada so my wife also took a test while she was pregnant, she was negative and very fine.  I believe she has got it now from her work place. Lately (the last one or more months) she was not sleeping with me before this happen maybe two times we had sex during this time.  I mean she sleeps my daughter' room. Maybe that is why I am not positive or infected.

One thing I don't understand is, she was the one took the test first but I took after her result comes with in 4 days.  My result came almost after one week of hers.  In all this time she was not once accusing me or saying I probably brought it to her.  She become so friendly and also saying it comes probably from toilet she keeps saying.   I believe she just got it now but still she is denying it.  The most kills me is her lie.  I don't know what to do specially for my kid and how come I can live with such situation?

[auntiejessi]

How did she find out that she had syphilis?

If you haven't gotten it from her, then she's had it for years and years, probably since before you knew her.  She might have been born with it, which is very common in some countries, or maybe she was raped and got it and doesn't want to tell you.  Some times, things are just too scary to talk about.  

Yes, the infection will go away as long as she's been treated for it.  If she hasn't had treatment, she needs to get that done soon.  It might be a good idea to get your child tested, but if she hasn't been infectious to you, she wouldn't have been to your child.

Unless you can prove that she has been with someone else while you have been married, this isn't enough to prove that.

Aj