What happens in the tertiary stage of syphilis?
Tertiary Stage
These include the heart and blood vessels, and the brain and nervous system. Tertiary syphilis is very serious and would occur 10–30 years after your infection began. In tertiary syphilis, the disease damages your internal organs and can result in death.
What are the symptoms of stage 3 syphilis?
Signs and symptoms of late stage tertiary syphilis include:
- difficulty coordinating muscle movements.
- paralysis.
- numbness.
- gradual blindness.
- dementia.
What does tertiary syphilis mean?
: the third stage of syphilis that develops after disappearance of the symptoms of secondary syphilis and is marked by ulcers in and gummas under the skin and commonly by involvement of the skeletal, cardiovascular, and nervous systems.
What triggers tertiary syphilis?
The cause of syphilis is a bacterium called Treponema pallidum. The most common route of transmission is through contact with an infected person’s sore during sexual activity. The bacteria enter your body through minor cuts or abrasions in your skin or mucous membranes.