However, without treatment, the infection will simply become latent, or hidden.Īfter a time, latent syphilis may lead to late-stage, or tertiary, syphilis, which may harm entire organ systems and possibly lead to death.

Symptoms will disappear with or without treatment. Other symptoms that may help doctors diagnose secondary syphilis include: Sometimes, it is very faint, and a person may hardly notice that they have a rash. However, rashes may have different appearances and occur in many locations on the body.įor instance, some people may experience condyloma lata, which are large, grayish-white lesions that appear in warm and damp environments such as the armpits, mouth, or groin. It may appear in one area of the body or spread to multiple areas. The rash is typically painless and does not itch. The characteristic rash from secondary syphilis appears as rough, reddish-brown spots that usually appear on the palms of the hands or bottoms of the feet. More lesions may appear on the mouth, anus, or vagina during this stage. Secondary syphilis occurs as the infection progresses. The initial sore may also appear on the inside of the mouth, anus, or vagina, making detection difficult until the secondary stage. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) note the average time for the first symptom to appear is 21 days. It is a small, firm bump-like sore that appears anywhere from 10 to 90 days after the infection occurs. The sore, which doctors call a chancre, is painless. Primary syphilis typically shows up as a single, open sore around the genitals, mouth, or anus. Share on Pinterest Secondary syphilis can cause the lymph nodes to swell.

The rash may appear on one part of the body or be more widespread. The most common sign of secondary syphilis is a rash that does not itch or cause pain. If the person does not work to treat the condition, however, it may progress to further stages, where medical treatment is more difficult or impossible. If a person does not seek treatment after noticing these first signs appear, syphilis may progress to the second stage.Īccording to one 2016 study that appeared in the journal Head and Neck Pathology, around 25 percent of people who have an infection of the Treponema pallidum bacterium will develop secondary syphilis.Īt the secondary stage of the disorder, syphilis is still curable with medication. Primary syphilis includes the first sign of syphilis, which is typically a small and painless sore near the genitals, anus, or mouth, near the site of infection. The infection can be serious or cause severe complications without treatment. Syphilis, which the bacterium Treponema pallidum causes, is a form of sexually transmitted infection.

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