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Syphilis???
Hello,
This will be quick and to the point...
I am concerned about Syhpilis as I have been tested for all toher STD's...
I am a male and had a 2 women perform unprotected oral sex on me in the past 2 years all where while on buisness trips to China, Korea....
1) Is my risk for syphilis high?
2) I had taken a antibiotic called biaxin after this...would this cure syphilis? (1 gram a day for 10 days)
3) I remeber once awhile back that I had a cut like thing on my foreskin...I am almost certain it occured during masterbation as I am sure I have gotten this a few years back but let me describe it....It stung when I washed it or touched it...it scabbed and was very small maybe a little larger than the end of a pen. I remember trying to masterbate and it hurt like hell...I always read that the sore is a "painless" ulcer is this true?
4) would a VDRL test show the syphilis was ever present?..even if was cured?
5) from your personel experience the syphilis positive patients you have seen i nyour days do most have symptoms and if yes what are they?
Thank you in advance for your time
This will be quick and to the point...
I am concerned about Syhpilis as I have been tested for all toher STD's...
I am a male and had a 2 women perform unprotected oral sex on me in the past 2 years all where while on buisness trips to China, Korea....
1) Is my risk for syphilis high?
2) I had taken a antibiotic called biaxin after this...would this cure syphilis? (1 gram a day for 10 days)
3) I remeber once awhile back that I had a cut like thing on my foreskin...I am almost certain it occured during masterbation as I am sure I have gotten this a few years back but let me describe it....It stung when I washed it or touched it...it scabbed and was very small maybe a little larger than the end of a pen. I remember trying to masterbate and it hurt like hell...I always read that the sore is a "painless" ulcer is this true?
4) would a VDRL test show the syphilis was ever present?..even if was cured?
5) from your personel experience the syphilis positive patients you have seen i nyour days do most have symptoms and if yes what are they?
Thank you in advance for your time
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
Welcome to the STD forum.
I don't knwo the frequency of syphilis among sex workers or other women in Korea or China. Probably not very high, but I can't say more. But even if infected, oral sex is low risk -- although not zero risk -- for syphilis transmission.
1) Probably quite low.
2) Clarithromycin (Biaxin) probably would cure syphilis or prevent it from taking hold. Strains of syphilis with resistance to that class of antibiotics (the macrolide group) are increasing in frequency and no data have been reported from that part of the world, but probably it's not a problem.
3) The chancre of syphilis usually is a painless sore that takes 3-4 weeks to heal.
4) VDRL detects active syphilis. But it often becomes negative after several years, even without treatment. Without treatment, the test is always positive if done more than 6 weeks and less than a few years after the infection.
5) There is no simple answer to this question. It's fairly common for people to have positive syphilis tests without any recollection of distant past symptoms. However, a negative test always rules out active syphilis. In other words, if you remain concerned about it, have a VDRL or RPR test (which is equivalent to VDRL). If it is negative, you don't have it and probably never did.
Regards-- HHH, MD
I don't knwo the frequency of syphilis among sex workers or other women in Korea or China. Probably not very high, but I can't say more. But even if infected, oral sex is low risk -- although not zero risk -- for syphilis transmission.
1) Probably quite low.
2) Clarithromycin (Biaxin) probably would cure syphilis or prevent it from taking hold. Strains of syphilis with resistance to that class of antibiotics (the macrolide group) are increasing in frequency and no data have been reported from that part of the world, but probably it's not a problem.
3) The chancre of syphilis usually is a painless sore that takes 3-4 weeks to heal.
4) VDRL detects active syphilis. But it often becomes negative after several years, even without treatment. Without treatment, the test is always positive if done more than 6 weeks and less than a few years after the infection.
5) There is no simple answer to this question. It's fairly common for people to have positive syphilis tests without any recollection of distant past symptoms. However, a negative test always rules out active syphilis. In other words, if you remain concerned about it, have a VDRL or RPR test (which is equivalent to VDRL). If it is negative, you don't have it and probably never did.
Regards-- HHH, MD
Thank you for your reply..
Just a couple other questions..
1) Does a sore have to be present in or on the womens mouth in order to become infected or does the Bacteria stay in the mouth at all times?
2) If I did get infected and the antibiotics did cure it is there any chance the test will show that I once had it?...I read somewere that the RPR test always is positive after infected even if cured...is this true and if yes would the VDRL be the same. I understand that it may be negative in the later stages but as I mentioned this was about 2 years ago. I ask cause I am in Canada and I asked the health department and they use the VDRL for Syphilis testing.
3) Is the VDRL test a simple reactive or non-reactive test or is there some results other than that for this test?
4) would other meds cure Syphilis like Amoxicillian or Cipro?
Just a couple other questions..
1) Does a sore have to be present in or on the womens mouth in order to become infected or does the Bacteria stay in the mouth at all times?
2) If I did get infected and the antibiotics did cure it is there any chance the test will show that I once had it?...I read somewere that the RPR test always is positive after infected even if cured...is this true and if yes would the VDRL be the same. I understand that it may be negative in the later stages but as I mentioned this was about 2 years ago. I ask cause I am in Canada and I asked the health department and they use the VDRL for Syphilis testing.
3) Is the VDRL test a simple reactive or non-reactive test or is there some results other than that for this test?
4) would other meds cure Syphilis like Amoxicillian or Cipro?
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
1) Either way.
2) Your test will remain negative forever.
3) If positive, the results are expressed in a numerical titer. Yours is negative, end of story.
4) Amoxicillin yes, cipro no. Biaxin is fine.
You need to get off your obsession about syphilis. Why are you so focused on the least likely of all STDs in this circumstance? It's not a rational worry.
That's all for this thread.
2) Your test will remain negative forever.
3) If positive, the results are expressed in a numerical titer. Yours is negative, end of story.
4) Amoxicillin yes, cipro no. Biaxin is fine.
You need to get off your obsession about syphilis. Why are you so focused on the least likely of all STDs in this circumstance? It's not a rational worry.
That's all for this thread.
Just one other note...I have not done the test yet
I just wanted to make sure you understood as I hope you are not replying with the idea I had a negative test and still worrying. I am trying to decide the liklyhood of having syphilis.
I have been tested for everything else but the clinic never suggested syphilis testing.
I just wanted to make sure you understood as I hope you are not replying with the idea I had a negative test and still worrying. I am trying to decide the liklyhood of having syphilis.
I have been tested for everything else but the clinic never suggested syphilis testing.
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
They never suggested it because the risk was low and because it is pointless following the antibiotic treatment.
Now this thread is definitely over.
Now this thread is definitely over.
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.
