Can a routine blood test detect syphilis?

Written by Fu Ye Song

Hematology

Updated on September 16, 2024

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Syphilis is a contagious disease, and we cannot detect syphilis through routine blood tests, as these tests only measure elements such as the number of white blood cells, red blood cells, and platelets in the blood. Since syphilis is caused by an infectious agent, it cannot be detected through routine blood tests. It can only be detected by checking for antibodies using methods like ELISA immunofluorescence. Therefore, routine blood tests cannot detect syphilis.

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Can tertiary syphilis be breastfed?

Syphilis is a common infectious disease caused by the syphilis spirochete, with tertiary syphilis being the most severe and most infectious stage. Therefore, breastfeeding is not allowed if one has tertiary syphilis, as breastfeeding is one of the transmission routes of syphilis. If breastfeeding occurs, syphilis can potentially be transmitted to the child through the breast milk. The breast milk of syphilis patients contains syphilis spirochetes, and if a syphilis patient breastfeeds a child, it essentially means transmitting this pathogen to the newborn through the milk. Thus, syphilis patients are prohibited from breastfeeding.

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Is syphilis contagious?

Syphilis is a sexually transmitted disease caused by infection with the syphilis spirochete. After infection, the pathogen can invade various organs throughout the body, causing a variety of symptoms. As a classic sexually transmitted disease, syphilis is contagious, with its main routes of transmission being through sexual contact, mother-to-child transmission, and also through close contact, such as kissing, or the use of daily items from a syphilis patient, such as towels, razors, cutlery, etc. If syphilis is not treated, its infectivity gradually decreases over time.

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Written by Zhu Zhu

Dermatology

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Will third-stage syphilis be asymptomatic?

In the case of third-stage syphilis, it is generally not asymptomatic, as it is already a late stage of the disease that invades multiple systems, such as the musculoskeletal system, nervous system, and even the cardiovascular system. When these systems are invaded, they become damaged, leading to various complications. Therefore, third-stage syphilis typically presents with various signs of organ dysfunction, and it is unlikely to be without any symptoms once it has progressed to this stage.

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Written by Zhu Zhu

Dermatology

43sec

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When is the third stage of syphilis?

Tertiary syphilis is a relatively late stage of syphilis, often occurring two to three years after the initial detection of the disease. For patients with a longer course of the disease, it generally appears five to ten years later. Once tertiary syphilis is diagnosed, it is often accompanied by damage to various organ functions, such as the cardiovascular system, bones, skin, and nervous system. Therefore, it is crucial to detect and treat syphilis early and to follow standard treatment protocols with a doctor. Otherwise, once it progresses to tertiary syphilis, it becomes very difficult to cure.

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Written by Zhu Zhu

Dermatology

29sec

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Can tertiary syphilis be transmitted to infants?

It is possible for a baby to be infected with third-stage syphilis. Third-stage syphilis is a late stage of the disease, and if a pregnant mother has third-stage syphilis, it is possible to transmit the disease to her baby through mother-to-child transmission during pregnancy and childbirth. Therefore, if you discover that you have syphilis, especially third-stage syphilis, it is crucial to receive treatment promptly to prevent transmitting it to the baby.