Syphilis is a sexually transmitted disease (STD) caused by the bacterium Treponema pallidum and characterized by three successive stages of increasing severity (primary, secondary, and advanced syphilis), with slow and discontinuous evolution, as well as varying from person to person.
Its presence increases the risk of contracting other STDs and, in particular, of being infected with HIV.
If not properly treated from the initial infection (primary syphilis), the persistence of the bacterium in the body can lead to serious problems with overall health.
If a pregnant woman is affected by syphilis, the disease can cause death in utero of the fetus or be transmitted to the infant who will, therefore, be infected with Treponema pallidum as early as birth (congenital syphilis).
