Syphilis

A chronic, infectious sexually transmitted disease that is characterized by lesions which may involve any organ or tissue. The primary stage of syphilis is characterized by the formation of the initial lesion which changes from a small red spot to a small ulcer to a hard chancre. Skin and mucous membrane lesions form during the second stage accompanied by systemic symptoms such as headache, fever and malaise. The tertiary stage involves disorders of the heart, blood vessels and central nervous system as well as various types of psychosis. Syphilis may also be transmitted from a mother to her fetus in utero producing a congenital form of the disease.