Understanding Syphilis: Symptoms, Diagnosis, and Treatment - Episode 45

In this episode of the explained series I will cover syphilis, how it presents (symptoms), diagnosis and treatment. This is the second syphilis episode out of three.

This video covers most of the signs and symptoms and the natural history of syphilis. The last episode in two episodes time will be about interpretation of syphilis blood tests (difficult subject to get your head around).

You will come across syphilis because:
From 2018 In England, there has been a 148% increase in syphilis cases since 2008. Other countries have also seen similar increases, for example USA has seen a rise of 76% from 2013 to 2017, Canada by 86% from 2010 to 2015, Australia by 107% from 2012 to 2016, Japan by 417% from 2012 to 2016, and China by 400% from 2003 to 2009. The reasons for this rise is multifactorial but some of the main drivers include changing sexual attitudes and behaviours and the largest change in travel behaviours nationally and internationally, with both factors being fuelled by the use of geosocial networking (GSN) applications as well as other mobile social media. Unfortunately, sexual health systems have not changed with this cultural and technological development and this has facilitated an unchecked increase in the transmission of many sexually transmitted infections, especially syphilis.

The references for the above can be found here: https://www.parliament.uk/business/committees/committees-a-z/commons-select/health-and-social-care-committee/inquiries/parliament-2017/sexual-health-inquiry-17-19/publications/

Hope you find this episode informative and helpful. If you would like an episode on a particular subject then feel free to ask.

Have good sexual health

Take care

Bret