Syphilis
Syphilis Fact Sheet (PDF 73 KB)
Cause of Illness
Syphilis is a sexually transmitted infection (STI) caused by a bacterium
called Treponema pallidum. The disease advances in three stages: primary,
secondary, and tertiary. Antibiotics can cure it in the first two stages,
but if left untreated, the third stage can have serious complications.
The incidence of syphilis declined dramatically (90%) between 1990 and 2000;
however, in most recent years the number of cases has been rising.
Nearly 33,000 cases were reported in 2002, with a marked increase among men
who have sex with men. |
