Treatment FAQ

what is the alternative treatment for syphilis

by Mr. Bernardo Beahan II Published 3 years ago Updated 2 years ago
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Penicillin Allergy
The only acceptable alternatives for treating late latent syphilis or syphilis of unknown duration are doxycycline (100 mg orally 2 times/day) or tetracycline (500 mg orally 4 times/day), each for 28 days.
Jul 22, 2021

Medication

You can also be infected with syphilis for years and not notice any symptoms. But since syphilis doesn’t go away on its own, if you have signs or symptoms of syphilis, you should get tested for it, and treated if you have it. How Long Does Syphilis Last After Treatment?

Self-care

Guava and honey smoothie

  • Although citrus fruits all stand out for their content in this vitamin, guava has up to four times more
  • For this reason, if you take it for at least a week, you will benefit from its antibiotic properties
  • In addition, you can sweeten it with honey to further multiply its powerful effects

Nutrition

The recommended treatment for neurosyphilis, ocular syphilis, or otosyphilis is Aqueous crystalline penicillin G 18-24 million units per day, administered as 3-4 million units intravenously every 4 hours or continuous infusion, for 10-14 days. Treatment will prevent disease progression, but it might not repair damage already done.

Does syphilis go away on its own?

What Is the Prognosis for Syphilis?

  • Syphilis in the first 2 stages continues to be cured with penicillin-unlike other diseases that are becoming resistant to antibiotics.
  • The outlook for people with tertiary syphilis is less optimistic.
  • In one study, 20% of people with cardiovascular syphilis died without antibiotic therapy.

More items...

How to cure syphilis naturally?

How long does it take to treat and cure syphilis?

What antibiotic cures syphilis?

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Can syphilis be cured without treatment?

The sores usually last about 3 to 6 weeks and then go away on their own with or without treatment. But if you don't get treated, you'll still have syphilis, even if the sores are gone. Taking medicine is the only way to cure syphilis.

Can syphilis heal naturally?

The symptoms of secondary syphilis will go away with or without treatment. However, without treatment, the infection will progress to the latent and possibly tertiary stage of disease.

What are alternatives to penicillin G treatment?

However, multiple therapies might be effective for nonpregnant persons with penicillin allergy who have primary or secondary syphilis. Doxycycline (100 mg orally 2 times/day for 14 days) (600,601) and tetracycline (500 mg orally 4 times/day for 14 days) have been used for years and can be effective.

What is the preferred treatment for syphilis?

Penicillin G, administered parenterally, is the preferred drug for treating patients in all stages of syphilis. The preparation used (i.e., benzathine, aqueous procaine, or aqueous crystalline), dosage, and length of treatment depend on the stage and clinical manifestations of the disease.

Is syphilis 100% curable?

Yes, syphilis is curable with the right antibiotics from your healthcare provider. However, treatment might not undo any damage the infection can cause.

What are the signs of syphilis in a man?

A person with primary syphilis generally has a sore or sores at the original site of infection. These sores usually occur on or around the genitals, around the anus or in the rectum, or in or around the mouth. These sores are usually (but not always) firm, round, and painless.

Is there an alternative to penicillin for syphilis?

Penicillin Allergy The only acceptable alternatives for treating late latent syphilis or syphilis of unknown duration are doxycycline (100 mg orally 2 times/day) or tetracycline (500 mg orally 4 times/day), each for 28 days.

What if syphilis treatment fails?

While syphilis could lead serious complications when left untreated, it is simple to cure with the appropriate treatment at early stages [2]. Having syphilis once does not protect patients from getting the disease again. Even after successful treatment, patients might still be re-infected by unprotected sexual contact.

Does doxycycline work for syphilis?

Penicillin is the drug of choice to treat syphilis. Doxycycline is the best alternative for treating early and late latent syphilis. Syphilis associated with HIV infection does not require any enhanced antimicrobial therapy.

How long does it take syphilis to go away?

As the bacteria spread through your blood, you may get a fever, a sore throat, and swollen glands. You may also feel generally weak and tired. Like primary syphilis, the signs and symptoms of secondary syphilis go away on their own without treatment in 2 to 6 weeks.

How long does it take for syphilis to go away with treatment?

You may have one or more sores. The chancre disappears within three to six weeks. Swollen lymph glands in your neck, armpits or groin.

What is the strongest antibiotic for STD?

Currently, there's only one CDC-recommended treatment for it: a combination of two powerful antibiotics, azithromycin and ceftriaxone. Syphilis and chlamydia have also begun to show resistance to antibiotics in some parts of the world, though Klausner says there are several treatment options for both.

What is the best treatment for syphilis?

Bicillin L-A, taken as an intramuscular injection, is the main treatment for syphilis. Francois Guillot/Getty Images. The recommended treatment for syphilis is the antibiotic penicillin, specifically the type known as penicillin G benzathine, sold as Bicillin L-A in the United States. Penicillin has proven to be effective at killing Treponema ...

What antibiotics are used for syphilis?

While penicillin is the drug of choice for syphilis, other antibiotics may be used in nonpregnant individuals who are allergic to penicillin. The CDC recommends that penicillin-allergic patients be treated in consultation with an infectious disease specialist. Alternatives to penicillin include the following: 1 Doxycycline can be used to treat primary, secondary, and latent stages of syphilis. 2 Tetracycline can be used to treat primary, secondary, and latent stages of syphilis. 3 Ceftriaxone may be effective against primary, secondary, and latent stages of syphilis, but the optimal dose has not been established. 4 Azithromycin is effective against primary and secondary syphilis, but its use is limited in the United States because of antibiotic resistance.

How long does it take for penicillin to desensitize?

Desensitization typically involves taking steadily increasing doses of the penicillin over 4 to 12 hours, starting with a very small dose, to allow you to tolerate it safely. If you're treated for syphilis during your pregnancy, your newborn baby should be evaluated for congenital syphilis and may also need to receive antibiotic treatment.

How long does penicillin last?

If neurosyphilis — syphilis affecting the brain or spinal cord — is diagnosed, an intensive regimen of penicillin lasting 10 to 14 days is necessary, and it may need to be repeated in some individuals. If you're allergic to penicillin, your doctor will suggest another antibiotic, but penicillin is the only recommended treatment for pregnant women ...

What are some alternatives to penicillin?

Alternatives to penicillin include the following: Doxycycline can be used to treat primary, secondary, and latent stages of syphilis. Tetracycline can be used to treat primary, secondary, and latent stages of syphilis. Ceftriaxone may be effective against primary, secondary, and latent stages of syphilis, but the optimal dose has not been ...

Is syphilis contagious in the primary?

Syphilis is contagious in the primary and secondary stages and may be contagious in the early latent stage, so both current and past sexual partners are at risk. You can notify your sexual partner (or partners) yourself, or you can do it anonymously through a partner service program.

Can penicillin be used for syphilis?

If you're allergic to penicillin, your doctor will suggest another antibiotic, but penicillin is the only recommended treatment for pregnant women with syphilis. There are no home remedies to cure syphilis.

Nontreponemal Tests and Traditional Algorithm

False-positive nontreponemal test results can be associated with multiple medical conditions and factors unrelated to syphilis, including other infections (e.g., HIV), autoimmune conditions, vaccinations, injecting drug use, pregnancy, and older age ( 566, 569 ).

Treponemal Tests and Reverse Sequence Algorithm

The majority of patients who have reactive treponemal tests will have reactive tests for the remainder of their lives, regardless of adequate treatment or disease activity. However, 15%–25% of patients treated during the primary stage revert to being serologically nonreactive after 2–3 years ( 570 ).

Cerebrospinal Fluid Evaluation

Further testing with CSF evaluation is warranted for persons with clinical signs of neurosyphilis (e.g., cranial nerve dysfunction, meningitis, stroke, acute or chronic altered mental status, or loss of vibration sense).

Special Considerations

Parenteral penicillin G is the only therapy with documented efficacy for syphilis during pregnancy. Pregnant women with syphilis at any stage who report penicillin allergy should be desensitized and treated with penicillin (see Management of Persons Who Have a History of Penicillin Allergy).

Management of Sex Partners

Sexual transmission of T. pallidum is thought to occur only when mucocutaneous syphilitic lesions are present. Such manifestations are uncommon after the first year of infection.

How long do side effects of syphilis last?

Joint or muscle pain. All of the above, plus nausea and chills. If you do have side effects, they typically only last about 24 hours. Once you’ve completed your treatment, the antibiotics will kill the bacteria that cause syphilis and prevent any additional problems from occurring because of that particular case.

Can syphilis cause blindness?

Syphilis can cause blindness or paralysis. It increases your chances of getting and spreading HIV, the virus that causes AIDS. Over time, it can damage your organs and even lead to death. And, of course, if you’re not treated, you’ll likely spread the STD to your sexual partner.

Can you get syphilis again?

And, they’ll advise you to be tested for HIV and avoid all sexual contact until blood tests confirm you’re cured. And remember that getting treatment doesn’t mean you can’t get syphilis again or spread it at a later time.

What test can confirm syphilis?

Blood. Blood tests can confirm the presence of antibodies that the body produces to fight infection. The antibodies to the syphilis-causing bacteria remain in your body for years, so the test can be used to determine a current or past infection. Cerebrospinal fluid.

How to prevent HIV infection?

Avoid sexual contact with new partners until the treatment is completed and blood tests indicate the infection has been cured. Notify your sex partners so that they can be tested and get treatment if necessary. Be tested for HIV infection.

Can you cure syphilis with penicillin?

When diagnosed and treated in its early stages, syphilis is easy to cure. The preferred treatment at all stages is penicillin, an antibiotic medication that can kill the organism that causes syphilis. If you're allergic to penicillin, your doctor may suggest another antibiotic or recommend penicillin desensitization.

What is phase 2 of syphilis?

Phase 2. Detailed Description: Syphilis is a major issue worldwide causing 5.6 million new cases of syphilis worldwide, of which over 900,000 are pregnant women. It is also responsible for congenital infections causing fetal loss or stillbirth or, in a live-born infant, neonatal death, prematurity and low birth weight.

How many times a day does Cefixime work?

Penicillin is the indicated treatment for syphilis infection. Patients of the "Cefixime Group" will receive Cefixime 400 mg, per os, one tablet, two times per day, for ten consecutive days. The study team will provide the medication. The group will consist of 50 patients.

Is cefixime a third generation?

Cefixime is an FDA-approved, orally administered third-generation cephalosporin that is currently used for the treatment of a wide range of infections, including urinary tract infections. Our goal is to evaluate the efficacy and safety of oral cefixime as an alternative treatment for syphilis infection. One hundred adult patients (≥18 years old) ...

What to do if you have syphilis?

If you might have syphilis, your doctor will order a blood test. If this blood test is positive, the lab typically performs a second test on your blood to confirm that you have syphilis. If you have syphilis, you need treatment.

How long after syphilis treatment can you have sex?

To treat syphilis with penicillin, you need a shot or IV infusion. Taking penicillin pills cannot cure you. You should not have sex for at least 1 week after treatment and until all symptoms have gone away.

How long does it take to get penicillin for syphilis?

Here’s how you may get the antibiotic: Early stage: One shot of penicillin. Late stage: Three shots of penicillin, with one shot given each week for three weeks. Syphilis affects your nervous system: Penicillin given through an IV (intravenous) infusion, with treatment given once a week for two weeks. To treat syphilis with penicillin, you need ...

What happens if you catch syphilis in a late stage?

If the syphilis was caught in a late stage, it may have affected your body in other ways. You may need other medical tests. People also need follow-up syphilis blood tests to make sure the syphilis treatment worked. Taking good care of yourself also plays an important role in your treatment.

Can you use latex condoms for syphilis?

When you start having sex again, use latex condoms and/or dental dams to prevent getting syphilis again or other sexually transmitted diseases. While the right antibiotic can cure syphilis, it cannot undo damage already done. If syphilis caused hearing loss, you’ll continue to have hearing loss after being treated.

Can you take doxycycline for syphilis?

If your doctor decides to treat you with one of these antibiotics, you will need several follow-up appointments. These antibiotics can be less effective at treating syphilis.

Do you need a follow up appointment for syphilis?

Others get re-infected. During your follow-up appointments, you’ll have: A blood test to make sure you no longer have syphilis. Other medical tests if the disease was caught late.

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Nontreponemal Tests and Traditional Algorithm

Treponemal Tests and Reverse Sequence Algorithm

Cerebrospinal Fluid Evaluation

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