SYPHILIS

What you need to know about Syphilis:

• Syphilis is an STD - Syphilis is a sexually transmitted disease (STD) and is spread from person to person by having physical contact during vaginal, anal or oral sex. Most STD germs need warm, moist areas to live. That's why they infect the mouth, the rectum (butt hole) and sex organs like the vagina (coochie), vulva, penis (dick) and testes (balls).
• Syphilis has Symptoms - The first symptoms of syphilis show up from between 1 and 12 weeks after having sex with someone who has syphilis. Most men with syphilis notice these symptoms. Many women do not have symptoms. You may notice some or all of the following:
  • These are known as 1st Stage Syphilis Symptoms:
  • A skin sore called a chancre (shank-er). You can have more than one sore. Sores can be small or large. They do not usually hurt.
  • Sores can show up on your penis (dick), scrotum (ball sack), lips of the vagina (called labia), inside the vagina, or on the mouth. These sores will last for 1 to 5 weeks and then may disappear.
  • Lymph glands near the sore may be swollen. Your major lymph glands are located in your neck, under your arms, on the lower part of groin area or pelvic area (the area between your belly and your sex organs) and in your legs.

If you do not get treatment for these symptoms, they may disappear, but this does NOT mean that the syphilis has gone away.

After about 1 week up to 6 months after the skin sore has disappeared, you many have other symptoms. These are known as 2nd Stage Syphilis Symptoms:

• You break out in a rash anywhere on your body.
• You feel like you have the flu. You may feel sick all over with fever, aches, poor appetite, sore throat, headache or swollen lymph glands.
• You may also, but less often, have hair loss, a cough, or eye, brain, nerve, bowel, stomach, liver or kidney problems.

If you do not get treatment for these symptoms, they may disappear after 2 to 6 weeks. BUT YOU ARE STILL NOT CURED FROM SYPHILIS.

• Syphilis is Dangerous - People who have syphilis and don't get treated may get syphilis infection later in their life in their brain, spinal cord, heart or other parts of their bodies. Syphilis that is NOT treated can make a person blind, crippled or go insane or even die many years after the original infection. A mother with syphilis can give it to her baby during pregnancy. Syphilis may cause a miscarriage or the baby may be sick when it is born.
• Syphilis can be Cured - The good news is that syphilis is curable! The only way to know for sure if you have syphilis is to go to your doctor or local clinic, OR you can go to the Maricopa County Department of Public Health and have a syphilis test done there. If you have a sore, then go to one of these places and ask for a syphilis test. A special blood test will be given to see if you've ever been infected in the past. Pregnant women should also have a blood test done for syphilis, to protect themselves and their babies.

www.maricopa.gov

Syphilis can be cured with antibiotics. Usually you will be given a single shot. 2nd Stage Syphilis needs longer treatment.

• You may be given pills to take instead: be sure to take all of them as directed. Syphilis may come back if you don't.
• Ask your health care provider when you can have sex again after treatment.
• Tell your sex partner(s): Your partner must be treated, too. Otherwise he or she could pass syphilis to someone else or back to you.

Syphilis is Preventable - You don't have to get syphilis from someone if you do some of the following things BEFORE you have sex with someone:

• Not having sex is your best protection against syphilis and other types of STDs.
• Having sex with only one uninfected partner who only has sex with you is also safe.
• Use latex condoms (rubbers) with water based lubricants every time you have sex. Condoms will help protect you from STDs including syphilis. Both men and women should carry condoms.
• Use plastic (polyurethane) condoms if you are allergic to latex. These come in both male and female styles. Check the label to see which one you have or should buy.
• Get checked for syphilis and other STDs regularly. Ask your health care provider to help you decide how often and which tests you should have.
• If you have more than one sex partner, get an STD check any time you are concerned about risks, even if you don't have symptoms. Let your conscience be your guide!
• Don't have sex with a person who you think may have an STD.
• Don't use drugs or alcohol when you are having sex. If you are high, you might forget to protect yourself.

SYPHILIS IN MARICOPA COUNTY

Right now, Phoenix is experiencing a syphilis outbreak. That means that many individuals are being infected with syphilis and other STDs. Public health departments and officials from both the state and the county as well as community organizations are concerned about the problem. They have decided to do something about it and go into communities were reported cases of syphilis have increased.

Concilio, through funding from the Arizona Department of Health Services (ADHS) and the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) is conducting a syphilis elimination program in areas of Maricopa County where the infection rates of syphilis are the highest. According to data released by the ADHS, the highest concentration of syphilis in Maricopa County is located within 15 zip code areas. These areas are: 85003, 85006, 85007, 85008, 85009, 85015, 85017, 85032, 85035, 85040, 85041 and 85301. This is the area known as South Phoenix and is predominantly Hispanic/Latino. In this area, of those people who are infected with syphilis, 58% are male and 42% are female. Most people infected with syphilis in this area are from 25 to 54 years old. During 1999, 463 cases were reported in Maricopa County. Of the 463 reported cases, nearly 200 of them were Hispanic/Latino, 125 were African-American, 107 were Caucasian and 19 were Native Americans. Also, of these 463 reported cases of syphilis, 315 individuals reported having anonymous sex with someone, 236 cases were females who had sex for money, 227 cases were men who had sex with prostitutes and 208 cases were males and females who used IV drugs.

In order to reduce the spread of syphilis infection in these areas, Concilio concentrates on specific behaviors of the population that put them at risk for infection. The specific behaviors Concilio focuses on are: practicing unprotected sex; the lack of knowledge about testing locations for syphilis and treatment options; and the lack of knowledge about modifying their life styles and changing their behaviors. Thus, in order to achieve the goal of helping individuals to modify their behaviors, Concilio has implemented a program that increases community awareness about syphilis transmission, proper condom usage and referral and testing services among at risk Hispanics/Latinos through a culturally based, linguistically appropriate multi-level intervention plan.

Our program goal is achieved by conducting interactive, face-to-face street-based outreach to the communities at risk for syphilis intervention. We hand out prevention packets to at risk individuals and strongly encourage them to access syphilis testing services at either Maricopa County testing sites or going to Maricopa County's Mobile Testing Unit which accompanies our outreach workers to the sites within the communities. We also work with key businesses in the communities who help us to distribute information about syphilis prevention and prevention packets when we are not available. Concilio has, as a part of its program, developed culturally proficient and linguistically appropriate brochures and pamphlets in easy, understandable language which were given to both the individuals we met during our outreach activities and to our community prevention partners. We also provide educational classes and small groups to high-risk individuals for undocumented and transient individuals who reside in the communities where the infection rates are the highest.

As a result of these efforts, in 2002, 1,738 individuals from the areas with the highest infection rates were tested; of that number, 85 were positive and received treatment. In 2003, 2,268 individuals from the areas with the highest infection rates were tested; of that number, 148 were positive and received treatment.

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