1) Syphilis is a chronic sexually transmitted disease caused by the spirochete Treponema pallidum. It progresses through primary, secondary, latent, and tertiary stages if left untreated. 2) In the primary stage, a chancre develops at the infection site and may spread locally. Secondary syphilis causes a generalized rash and mucocutaneous lesions. 3) Latent syphilis has no symptoms but can be detected via serology. Tertiary syphilis may involve gummas, cardiovascular, or neurological complications if untreated for a long time.

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SUBMITTED BY:
DANGETI.SAI ARAVIND
( II Pharm-D )
14AB1T00006
SUBMITTED TO:
PRINCIPAL: P.SRINVASABABU
MRS.P.SOWJANYA
DEPARTMENT OF
MICROBIOLOGY

2. INTRODUCTION:
• SYPHILIS is a chronic sexually transmitted disease.
• Named from poem published by the Italian physician
and poet Girolamo Fracastoro – shepherd from
Hispaniola named Syphilis who angered Apollo and
was given the disease as punishment.
• Transmitted by
sexual contact
from mother to foetus
blood transfusion
• Higher risk group include those between the ages of 15
and 34.
• About 12 million new cases of syphilis occur every
year.
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3. CAUSATIVE ORGANISM:
• The causative organism of syphilis is
Treponema pallidum.
• It is a spirochete gram negative bacteria.
• It was first discovered by Schaudin and
Hoffman in 1905.
MORPHOLOGY:
 Thin, mobile and spiral.
 Approximately size is 10-0.2
 It has sharp, rigid regular spirals.
 Giema stain- Rosy red colour.
 Have axial filaments, which are otherwise
similar to bacterial flagella.
 Filaments enable movement of bacterium
by rotating in place.
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4. CULTIVATION:
• Cannot be grown in artificial medium
• Limited growth is seen in co cultivation with
tissue culture
• Virulent strains have beed from testicular
passage in rabbits
• Best stain is Reiter stain that is sub cultured
in susceptible host.
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5. PATHOLOGY:
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6. PRIMARY SYPHILIS:
• It occurs at the site of 10 to 90 days of infection.
• Chancres heal by their own in 3-6 weeks
• In males chancres- on penis, cervix
• In females they occur on the cervix
SECONDARY SYPHILIS:
 Mainly characterized by skin rashes.
 Usually occurs 2-10 weeks after the primary stage.
 It caused in 75% untreated people.
 Lymphadenopathy, mild fever, malaise and loss of weight are common.
 The rash is having red-brown macules less than 5 mm in diameter.
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7. LATENT SYPHILIS:
• It is the stage where there is no symptoms.
• Occurs between secondary and tertiary stages.
• In this stage it can be diagnosed by serological tests only.
TERTIARY SYPHILIS:
 Occurance of secondary lesions
 Three types:
Gummatous Cardiovascular Neuronal
Formation of
rubbery
masses of
gummas
Weakening
of the aorta
CNS is
affected
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DIAGNOSIS:
Two types of tests :
1. Microscopy.
2. Serological tests.
MICROSCOPY:
• Specimen: lesion exudate.
• Negative staining: mixed with nigrosin dye.
• Dark ground microscopy: To check the movements of
the bacteria.

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9SEROLOGICAL TESTS:
 Veneral Disease Research laboratory test: (VDRL)
 0.5ml inactivated serum + cardiolipin antigen.
 Slide is rotated for four minutes.
 Observed under low power microscope.
 Clumps formation results in positive test.
 Test is positive by 7-8 days after the appearance of primary chanchre.
 RAPID PLAMSA REAGIN (RPR) TEST:
 Modified VDRL test.
 In this, VDRL antigen contains carbomn particles which helps in
formation of clear clumps.

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10Reiter Protein Complexment Fixation- (RPCF) test:
 Cultivable strain of Reiter treponemes are used as antigen.
 This test is less sensitive.
 It detects the group specific antibodies.
Flouroscent Treponemal Antibody (FTA) test:
 Smears are prepared with Nichols strain + acetone.
 Patients serum is added and incubated.
 It is treated with flouroscein labelled anti human
immunoglobin.
 Examined under fluoroscene microscope

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PROPHYLAXIS:
 Use of condoms.
 Avoid of sexual contact with infected person.
 Use of prophylactic pencilin.
TREATMENT:
 Penicillin is the first drug of choice.
 Early syphilis a single of 2.4 million units of Benzathine penicillin
 Late syphilis 2.4 million units of Benzathine penicillin once a week for three
weeks.
 Doxycyline is also adviced.

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12REFERENCES:
Anantha Narayan & paniker , Text book of microbiology (7th edition)
Pg no: 377-385
R. Vasanthakmari’s Textbook of microbiology (1st edition)
Pg no: 294-299
Dr. R. C. Dubey, Dr. D. K. Maheswari’s Textbook of microbiology
Pg no: 737-738
Harsha Mohan’s Textbook of pathology (7th edition)
Pg no: 151-153

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