Each stage of syphilis has different symptoms. Even if a person does not notice symptoms, he or she still has the disease which can progress to the next stage.

Primary Syphilis:
The first symptom of syphilis is a single, raised sore called a chancre. It usually appears on the genitals, mouth, or rectum an average of 3 weeks after exposure. When the chancre is on the penis or near the vagina, lymph nodes in the groin may also become swollen. Because the sore is painless, many people may ignore it unless it becomes infected. The sore can last for several weeks and go away by itself. Without treatment, however, the person still has syphilis which can progress to the secondary stage.

Secondary Syphilis:
This stage usually starts with a reddish-brown, spotted rash on one or more areas of the body, but most often on the palms of the hands or soles of the feet. The rash usually does not itch and can appear as the chancre is healing or several weeks after the chancre has gone away. The rash may come and go for up to two years. Other common symptoms may include swollen lymph nodes, fever, fatigue, patchy hair loss, weight loss, and headache. These symptoms usually last from 2 to 6 weeks and will clear up with or without treatment. If untreated, the disease will still be present and will then enter into the latent stage.

Latent Syphilis:
The latent stage of syphilis begins when secondary symptoms disappear. During this stage, syphilis becomes latent, which means it shows no signs or symptoms. The infection can be detected only by a blood test. A relapse of secondary syphilis can occur during the first two years of latency. If not treated, latent syphilis continues for life and may progress to the final tertiary stage.

Tertiary (late) Syphilis:
About one-third of people without treatment suffer serious damage to the nervous system, heart, brain, or other organs. Tertiary syphilis can cause paralysis, mental problems, blindness, deafness, heart failure, and even death. Individuals who are co-infected with HIV can progress more rapidly to this late stage. Though treatment at this phase will cure the disease and stop future damage, it cannot repair or reverse the damage that occurred before treatment.

Congenital Syphilis:
A mother infected with syphilis can pass the disease to her unborn child during pregnancy. A newborn infected in this way has congenital syphilis.

Many cases pf syphilis infection during pregnancy result in miscarriage or stillbirth. Surviving babies may have serious, even fatal, problems of the brain, liver, and other organs. Sometimes congenital syphilis is silent at birth but shows up later in childhood or even in the adult years.

If untreated, syphilis will progress through the primary, secondary, latent and perhaps tertiary stages. Treatment stops the infection, but if organ damage has already occurred--especially in tertiary syphilis--the damage cannot be repaired. Serious health problems may continue.

If you are HIV-positive and have syphilis sores, there is 2 – 5 times greater risk of giving HIV to your partner.