Tertiary stage Most people with untreated syphilis do not develop tertiary syphilis. When it does happen, it can affect many different organ systems, including the heart, brain and nervous system.

Syphilis isn’t the most common STI in the U.S.; that distinction goes to chlamydia. But it’s hard to ignore how quickly cases are increasing across the country. Syphilis isn’t as well known ...

Syphilis has been spreading rapidly in the U.S. and congenital syphilis is on the rise. Doctors explain how to curb the spread of the STI.

Between 2016 and 2024, 99 cases of congenital syphilis were reported in Australia, leading to the deaths of 33 infants. More ...

Most people in the days of the Spanish Empire died of other causes long before they could exhibit the symptoms of tertiary syphilis. Still, noted Brandt, things may have been different 500 years ago.

However, for those that do, tertiary syphilis can affect many different organs, including the heart and brain, causes serious damage to internal organs and in some cases death.

Syphilis will usually develop in several stages, known as the primary, secondary, latent, and tertiary stages, with each stage having different symptoms.

If syphilis is so curable, why are the numbers of cases rising? Although screening and treatment for syphilis is easy, highly accurate and effective, rates of the disease are continuing to rise.

The last stage, tertiary syphilis, is the disease at its most severe, causing damage to the brain or heart. Paralysis and dementia are possible during this stage.

Houston, we have a problem. The number of syphilis cases in Houston, Texas, among women has jumped by 128% from 295 in 2019 up to 674 cases in 2022. That and other similar syphilis statistics have ...