I first posted a reply that mistook you for someone else. If you saw that before I deleted it, please accept my apology for the tone of my reply. Here is a more appropriate one:
Cipro is totally inactive against syphilis. Syphilis is contagious only through the chancre and through moist lesions that can develop on the genitals, anus, or sometimes mouth during the secondary stage. The chancre usually appears 3-6 weeks after infection and the secondary lesions typically are present from about that time through 3-6 months, sometimes as long as a year. After that, syphilis no longer can be transmitted sexually.
I repeat it is almost impossible you have syphilis based on the information you provide. As I also said, it is fine with me if you decide to get (re)tested to be even more certain.
Thank you doctor for such a quick reply. If I may two quick follow-ups:
1) I was given a week of Cipro when I first went for STD testing. Would that have been an effective antibiotic for Syphilis?
2) Is Syphilis immediately contagious once acquired? If not, how long does it take for it to become so?
Many thanks and I hope you have Happy Holidays.
There are only around 9,000 new cases of syphilis per year in the entire United States, and most of those occur in gay men and in heterosexual men and women in a few selected geographic areas and populations, such as southeastern cities and along the US-Mexico border. Many (most?) of those occur in commercial sex workers, their partner, or others who exchange drugs for sex. Your risk of syphilis in the circumstances you describe is very low: almost certainly your partner doesn't have it, and in any case oral sex, while a possible route of transmission, is uncommon. And none of your symptoms suggests syphilis.
1) Most providers would do syphilis testing when evaluating someone for other STDs, but I cannot say what was done in your case. But 10 days is too soon to detect syphilis, so probably it doesn't make much difference.
2) Oral sex is low risk for syphilis, but not zero.
3,5) None of your symptoms suggests syphilis.
4) The chancre would occur only at sites of direct contact. In your case, only the penis.
If you remain nervous or unconvinced, have another blood test. You can expect a negative result.
Happy holidays-- HHH, MD