Syphilis is a sexually transmitted infection that is easily curable with the right medication. If left untreated, syphilis can cause serious health problems.
Syphilis spreads easily through vaginal, anal and oral sex. Syphilis can also pass from a pregnant person to their unborn baby; this is known as congenital syphilis.
The first sign of syphilis is a painless skin sore in your mouth or genitals that you may not notice. This will go away―even without treatment―but the syphilis bacteria are still in your body causing harm. If left untreated, you may also experience a rash, wart-like bumps, white patchiness in your mouth or on your genitals, or new vision or hearing changes. 1
Syphilis can happen to anyone who engages in vaginal, anal or oral sex without a condom. You cannot get syphilis through casual contact with surfaces, such as toilet seats, or by sharing clothing or eating utensils. Babies born to a person with syphilis are also at increased risk for infection. 1
How congenital syphilis affects your pregnancy or baby’s health depends on how long you’ve had syphilis and if or when you were adequately treated for syphilis. Untreated syphilis during pregnancy can result in stillbirth, developmental issues and possible death days to weeks after birth. 2
The only way to know if you have syphilis is through a blood test. Ask your doctor to be tested for syphilis with a blood test.
Syphilis is easily cured with the right antibiotics from your doctor or health care provider. Depending on how long you have had syphilis, treatment may vary. After finishing adequate treatment, you are cured of syphilis. However, if you are exposed to syphilis, you can get it again. It’s important that all sex partners are also tested and treated at the time of your diagnosis. 1
Syphilis is spread through direct contact with a syphilis sore during vaginal, anal or oral sex. If you are sexually active, wear a condom correctly, including during oral sex, to avoid contact with a syphilis sores. 1 Talk with your partner(s) about routine testing, especially after a syphilis diagnosis.
In Washington state, sexually transmitted infections (STIs) were the most commonly reported communicable diseases preceding the COVID-19 pandemic. Washington state reported a higher rate of infectious syphilis in 2022 than in all previous years with 24.4 cases of infectious syphilis per 100,000 people in Washington. Over 78% of infectious syphilis cases lived in one of five counties in the state, Spokane being one of those counties. 3
Since that time, Spokane County has seen a sharp increase in syphilis cases. In 2022, there were 23 cases of infectious syphilis per 100,000 Spokane County residents. The following year, there was a 50% increase in confirmed syphilis cases. During the 2023 rise in cases, Spokane Regional Health District’s HIV/STI Prevention staff ensured that nearly 90% of all syphilis cases diagnosed and investigated in Spokane County were adequately treated. 4
If you think you have syphilis symptoms, have a new or multiple sex partners, or have recently been exposed, contact your doctor to schedule a syphilis test. If you are currently pregnant, ask your doctor to test you at the beginning of your pregnancy, around 28 weeks, and at delivery.5
