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What symptoms can occur during secondary syphilis?
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syphilis
Scanning electron micrograph of Treponema pallidum, the spirochete bacterium that is the causative agent of syphilis.
The secondary stage of syphilis, which occurs in approximately half of infected individuals, is characterized by several distinct symptoms. These typically manifest four to eight weeks after the initial chancre appears, though the onset can sometimes be delayed for many months.1
Key symptoms of secondary syphilis include:
- Skin Rashes: These are a hallmark of the stage, appearing particularly on the palms of the hands and the soles of the feet.1
- Generalized Symptoms: Patients may experience fever, sore throat, and headaches.1
- Lymph Node Involvement: Enlargement of the lymph nodes is a common clinical finding.1
- Lesions: The stage is marked by the development of lesions on the skin, as well as in various organs and tissues.2
These symptoms generally last for a variable period, potentially up to several months, before the skin lesions disappear spontaneously without leaving scars. Throughout this stage, the infection remains highly transmissible through contact with open sores.1