Chancre

Illustration of syphilis. symptoms and causative agent

The word Chancre represents a medical condition with painless lesion or sore that commonly grows around genital region. You will find these sores like hard crab shells with diameter ranging between 1 or 2 cm. Note that, the word Chancre is taken from Latin dictionary where Chancre represents ‘cancer’ for crab.

A person may get affected with one or more types of chancres at a time and the affect can be commonly observed around genital areas whereas in few cases it can appear on public places like mouth, hands or on other common body parts.

Chancres definition and Syphilis

You might be curious to know about what does a syphilis chancre look like? The primary stage of Syphilis is named as Chancres and in case if patient keep on ignoring this primary issue then this disease may keep on developing while making major shift from primary to secondary level and finally to the more dangerous latent stage. Avoiding such disease is just like calling long life complications for your life.

Illustration of syphilis. symptoms and causative agent

Going into deep details: Syphilis

In medical terms, Syphilis is well known as a sexually transmitted infection that is commonly caused by bacterium Treponema Pallidum. This disease usually develops in several phases ranging from the basic stage to the more dangerous one and the fact is that these stages may sometime overall or may not occur in the common order. Generally, when a person gets affected with Syphilis, he/she can face many symptoms related to this for years.

The relaxing news is that Syphilis is treatable disease but you need to identify it at earlier stage. Although, it may take long time for complete removal of infection from body but at least worst effects can be avoided with timely treatment. Anyone who is observing Syphilis symptoms in body is advised to take medical help as soon as possible.

Illustration of symptoms of syphilis – affected penis

What is Syphilis?

In general terms, Syphilis is a kind of infection that gets transmitted from one person to another via direct contact with syphilitic sore present on few specific skin areas like mouth, lips, rectum, anus and vagina. In most common cases, it is reported to occur with vaginal, anal or even during oral sexual activity. This disease leads to painless sore on skin surfaces, mouth, and rectum or on genitals; it can stay live inside body for several years. Note that, when person is already suffering with Syphilitic Sores as shown in syphilis chancre photos then he has increased risks of HIV.

Syphilitic ulcer ulcus durum and close-up view of syphilis bacteria Treponema pallidum on the surface of a penis, 3D illustration

Major Causes of Syphilis

As we already mentioned, Syphilis is generally developed with sexual activities but in more critical cases, this disease can even get transferred from mother to child at the time of pregnancy. In this case, it is named as Congenital Syphilis. When this infection is transferd from mother to new born child, it may cause low birth weight or chances are to report stillbirth. In case if this disease is avoided and left untreated then little child can develop many harmful symptoms with time like deafness, cataracts or seizures. In worst cases include death of the newborn affected baby. The primary stage of Syphilis is named as chancre syphilis and it shows so many symptoms that affected person can consider to start with basic treatment.

Some common symptoms related to syphilis

Syphilis is commonly divided into several categories: primary (chancre syphilis), secondary, occasionally and the last one is latent phase. Below are few common symptoms associate with each one of these phases:

Symptoms of primary or chancre syphilis

• The most common trouble in this first stage of syphilis is development of round, firm and painless sores- they are named as chancres syphilis.
• It follows the incubation duration of about 3 weeks that later causes exposure to bacteria.
• Syphilis chancre pictures are often observed to go through self resolution phase for first 3 to 6 weeks but in order to stop progress of this disease, one need to take medical help urgently.

Once chancre syphilis symptoms are left untreated or uncared, they may get transformed into second stage of disease.

Symptoms of secondary stage

• Most of the people face a non-itchy rash on their body and it keeps on spreading over whole body. The most common areas to face its affect are feet soles and palms. These rashes may appear red, brown in color with added roughness.
• Other common symptoms include fever, muscle aches, sore throat, patchy hair loss, swollen lymph nodes, headaches, and fatigue as well as weight loss.

These symptoms may often continue up to one year and if they are again left untreated then person may face huge trouble with Latent Syphilis stage.

Secondary Syphilis, palms involvement

Symptoms at Latent Syphilis Stage

• The strange fact is that you will find rare symptoms at this stage; the diseases simply keep on progressing inside body and it may soon turn into most dangerous case of tertiary syphilis. In few cases it never calls back any symptom or sign of disease whereas in critical conditions person may face huge trouble as disease can cause severe damage to joints, bones, liver, blood vessels, heart, eyes, nerves or even to the brain.

How to Diagnose Syphilis?

Once you recognise symptoms of Syphilis chancre sores in your body, it is good to take immediate help from medical professionals. At initial level, when you may have symptoms like chancre syphilis pictures, doctors will take urine sample or blood sample to identify presence of disease. In case if sore is present on body then experts may also take its samples to check whether bacteria is developed or not.

When doctors observe that patient is facing troubles with nervous system due to third stage of syphilis then treatment with lumbar puncture or spinal tap is essential. In this treatment procedure, doctors will simply collect spinal fluid for examining presence of bacteria.

Pregnant women are required to undergo complete screening because the presence of bacteria is quite difficult to detect in this case. The major focus during this treatment is to avoid effect of bacteria on fetus so that cases of congenital syphilis can be avoided.

Treatment for Syphilis

You will be glad to know that primary syphilitic chancre and even the secondary stage of this disease can be treated with penicillin injections. Note that, it is one of the most commonly used antibiotic solutions for Syphilis chancre treatment. In case if your body is allergic to penicillin then doctors will prefer to recommend other oral antibiotics as like ceftriaxone, azithromycin and doxycycline.

Patients who are suffering with neurosyphilis are advised to take routine dose of penicillin and they may have to stay in the hospital for few days. The sad truth is that the severe damage caused by last stage of Syphilis on human body cannot be reversed with any treatment.

When patient is under Syphilis chancre treatment, he/she is advised to avoid sexual contact till the time all sores on body gets healed perfectly and your doctors allows you to get back to sex. The general advice is to get your partner examined on time for the same disease because it may have transferred if you had sex after developing bacteria.

Ways to prevent Syphilis

One of the best solutions to stay safe from chancre sore is to have safe sex. Always prefer to use condoms when you are going to make any sexual contact with your partner. Other than this:

• It is not good to have sex with multiple partners.
• One needs to use dental dam while having oral sex, especially when you are already suffering with primary syphilis chancre.
• Stop sharing your sex toys.
• Go for timely medical screening and communicate the results with your partner.

Note that Syphilis can also spread with shared needles so it is always recommended to use new needle to have drugs.

What is the right time to go for Syphilis test?

Most of the people are not able to recognise symptoms are first stage of Syphilis but as at second stage they get merged with several illness factors so it becomes common to face more trouble. As soon as you observe any symptom related to Syphilis, go for test. Medical practitioners suggest Syphilis test for several cases like:

• To the men who enjoy sex with men.
• If you have a sex partner who enjoy sex with several partners.
• Important for those who go for unprotected sex with many people.
• In case if you are a sex worker.
• Pregnant women are always advised to undergo this test.
• When you come to know that your sex partner is suffering with Syphilis, you need to go for test soon.

If case if your tests for chancre std Syphilis are rated positive then it becomes essential to go through complete treatment procedure. Take complete course of antibiotics and it is often continued for several days even when symptoms of syphilis disappear. The best thing is to avoid sex till the time you are taking medications and symptoms are present inside your body; take doctor’s recommendations before moving back to your partner. It is also good to have HIV test to stay on safer side.

Those who find their Syphilis Chancre tests positive are advised to inform their sex partners so that they can stay safe or avail right treatment if needed.