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Session 31 - Identification of Patients With Syphilis

The document outlines a training session on the identification, causes, transmission, symptoms, treatment, and prevention of syphilis, a chronic disease caused by the bacterium Treponema pallidum. It details the stages of syphilis, including primary, secondary, and tertiary manifestations, as well as recommended treatments and preventive measures such as abstinence and condom use. The session includes activities for student engagement and evaluation to reinforce learning outcomes.

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26 views20 pages

Session 31 - Identification of Patients With Syphilis

The document outlines a training session on the identification, causes, transmission, symptoms, treatment, and prevention of syphilis, a chronic disease caused by the bacterium Treponema pallidum. It details the stages of syphilis, including primary, secondary, and tertiary manifestations, as well as recommended treatments and preventive measures such as abstinence and condom use. The session includes activities for student engagement and evaluation to reinforce learning outcomes.

Uploaded by

boazcairo2
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Disease Control and Prevention

PST 04102: Identification of


Patients with Syphilis

Session 31: 120 minutes + Assignment 2 hours


Learning Tasks
By the end of this session students are expected to be able to:
• Describe Causes of Syphilis
• Describe Mode of Transmission of Syphilis
• Describe Major Signs and Symptoms of Syphilis
• Explain Treatment of Syphilis
• Explain Prevention and Control of Syphilis
Causes of Syphilis
• Syphilis: A chronic multi-systemic disease caused by the
bacteria spirochetal bacterium Treponema pallidum.
Mode of Transmission of Syphilis
• The spirochaete Treponema pallidum enters the body through
mucous membranes and skin.
• The route of transmission of syphilis is almost always
through sexual contact, although there are other routes such
as:
o Congenital Syphilis via transmission from mother to child in utero.
o Transfusion of unscreened blood.
o A patient with secondary syphilis who has mucosal or cutaneous
lesion may transmit the disease through physical contact.
o Unusual but possible transmission is accidental contact with
infective tissue.
Activity: Buzzing (5 minutes)
• What are the signs and symptoms of syphilis?
Signs and Symptoms of Syphilis
There are 3 main stages of the disease namely:
• Primary Syphilis
• Secondary Syphilis
• Tertiary Syphilis

Note: Different manifestations occur depending on the stage of


the disease; as outlined below:
Primary Syphilis
• Primary syphilis is typically acquired via direct sexual
contact with the infectious lesions of a person with syphilis.
• Approximately 10-90 days after the initial exposure (average
21 days), a skin lesion appears at the point of contact, which
is usually the genitalia, but can be anywhere on the body
oThis lesion, called a chancre which is a firm, painless skin
ulceration localized at the point of initial exposure to the
spirochete, often on the penis, vagina, rectum or elsewhere
like lips, tongue, breast etc.
• The lesion may persist for 4 to 6 weeks and usually heals
spontaneously.
• Local lymph node swelling can occur.
Secondary Syphilis
• Secondary syphilis occurs approximately 1–6 months
(commonly 6 to 8 weeks) after the primary infection.
• There are many different manifestations of secondary
disease.
• A patient with syphilis is most contagious when he or she has
secondary syphilis.
• There may be a symmetrical reddish pink non-itchy rash on
the trunk and extremities
• This is accompanied with mild constitutional systems, often
described as flu-like.
• These rashes tend to be symmetrical can involve the palms of
the hands and the soles of the feet.
• In moist areas of the body such as anus, vulva, perineum,
mouth, and axilla the rash becomes flat, broad, whitish
lesions known as condylomata lata.
• All of these lesions are infectious and harbor active
treponema organisms
Tertiary Syphilis
• Tertiary syphilis usually occurs 1–10 years after the initial infection,
though in some
• Cases it can take up to 50 years.
• This stage is characterized by the formation of gummas which are soft,
tumor-like lesions of inflammation known as granulomas.
• They may appear almost anywhere in the body including the skeleton
and brain.
• The more severe manifestations include neurosyphilis and
cardiovascular syphilis
• The incubation period of syphilis varies from 10 days to 10 weeks
with average of 3 weeks.
Activity: Brainstorming (5 minutes)
• Which drugs are used in the treatment of syphilis?
Treatment of Syphilis
• The drug of choice is intramuscular Benzathine
benzylpenicillin
• Doxycycline
• Erythromycin
Prevention and Control of Syphilis
• Abstinence
o Encourage delaying sexual activity for young people
• Sexual and reproductive health education to young people in and out of school
• Faithfulness (have one faithful uninfected partner)
• Using condoms correctly and consistently
o myths and misconceptions about condoms
• Screening and effective treatment of asymptomatic cases
• Effective treatment of STIs/RTIs
• Voluntary counseling and testing (VCT)
• Screening of blood for transfusion
• All pregnant women should be screened for syphilis routinely to prevent
congenital syphilis
Key Points
• Syphilis is sexually transmitted diseases cause by Treponema
pallidum
• Syphilis is a disease characterized by a primary lesion, a later
secondary eruption and tertiary manifestation.
• Syphilis can also be transmitted from mother to the newborn
leading to congenital Syphilis.
• Syphilis can be prevented by proper and consistent condom
use.
Evaluation
• What causes Syphilis?
• What is the mode of transmission of Syphilis?
• What are the signs and symptoms of Syphilis?
• What is the treatment of Syphilis?
• What are preventive and control measure of Syphilis?
Activity: Take Home Assignment (5 minutes)
• DIVIDE students in groups or individuals
• ASK the students to work on the following Assignment
• Prepare a presentation to be delivered to the class indicating
prevention and control methods of Syphilis.

• ALLOCATE time for students to do the assignments and submit


• REFER students to recommended reference
References:
• Cook, G, & Zumla, A. (2003). Manson’s Tropical Diseases. (21st ed.). London: Saunders Ltd.
• Denyer, S. P. Hodges, N. A., & Gorman, S. P (2011) Ed. Hugo & Russell’s Pharmaceutical
Microbiology (8th ed). Oxford: Willey-Blackwell publishing
• Eshuis, J, & Manschot, P. (1992). Communicable diseases, (1st ed). Nairobi: AMREF
• GoT (2004): National Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) Guidelines for Healthcare
Workers. Dar es Salaam: MOHSW
• GoT (2007) National Guidelines for Management of Sexually Transmitted and Reproductive
Tract Infections (1sted). Dar es Salaam: MOHSW
• GoT (2013) Standard Treatment Guidelines & National Essential Medicines List (4thed). Dar
es Salaam: MOHSW
• Nordberg, E., Kingondu, T., & Mugambi, E., et al. (2008) Communicable Diseases. (4thed.).
Nairobi: AMREF.
• Nordberg, E. (1999): Communicable Diseases, A Manual for Health Workers in Sub-Saharan
Africa, Nairobi: AMREF

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