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Syphilis - tertiary

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Definition:

Tertiary syphilis is a late phase of the sexually transmitted disease syphilis , caused by the spirochete Treponema pallidum .

Alternative Names:

Late syphilis; Tertiary syphilis

Causes, incidence, and risk factors:

Tertiary syphilis can follow the initial infection, primary syphilis , by 3 to 15 years. Secondary syphilis is the stage that precedes tertiary syphilis if primary syphilis is not treated.

In tertiary syphilis, the spirochetes have continued to reproduce for years. Pockets of damage accumulate in various tissues such as the bones, skin, nervous tissue, heart, and arteries. These lesions are called gummas and are very destructive.

Lesions in the central nervous system produce neurological disease called neurosyphilis which can include tabes dorsalis , general paresis , and optic atrophy. Lesions of the heart, heart valves and aorta can lead to aneurysms , valvular heart disease , and aortitis.

Tertiary syphilis is less frequently seen today than in the past because of early detection and adequate treatment.

• Review Date: 8/8/2006
• Reviewed By: D. Scott Smith, M.D., MSc, DTM&H, Chief of Infectious Disease & Geographic Medicine, Kaiser Redwood City, CA & Adjunct Assistant Professor, Stanford University. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.

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