Untreated Syphilis infection can progress through four stages: primary, secondary, latent and tertiary. It is most infectious in the first two stages, and does the most harm during the latent and tertiary stage. Syphilis produces a wide range of symptoms that mimic other illnesses. For this reason it has become known as "the great imitator", and is often very difficult to diagnose.
Syphilis produces different symptoms at each stage of infection. However, some people may not experience symptoms at all during some stages, and others may have some symptoms and not others. These people with few or no symptoms are still infectious, and can still progress to later stages of Syphilis infection.
As a person progresses from stage to stage, the symptoms of syphilis may go away without treatment. This does not mean that the infection is gone. A person may think that the infection has cleared on its own after symptoms disappear, but the infection will persist and long-term infection can cause serious and permanent damage to the heart, brain, bones or blood vessels.
The Male Syphilis
The main symptom of primary syphilis is a single open sore at the point of infection, typically on the genitals, anus or throat. This sore will typically appear Between 10 to 90 days after infection (21 days on average).
The Female Syphilis
Symptoms of secondary Syphilis generally occur three months after contracting the infection. They mimic flue symptoms and may include hair loss (including eyebrows and eyelashes), muscle and joint pain, rashes (particularly on the palms and soles of the feet), and fever and swollen glands. People with secondary syphilis may also generally feel unwell and you may lose weight
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