Syphilis

Syphilis (Full Version)

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Level -> Syphilis (9/23/2009 3:55:49 PM)
Okay, first things first; I do not have syphilis. A very good friend of mine's mom got a call from the Health Dept, and they told her she tested positive. She is 70 years old, an extremely devout Catholic, and was only with one man her entire life, her deceased husband. He has been gone for about 5 years, and he was NOT the kind of man that would screw around on her. Someone from the Health Dept came to their home, took another blood sample, and it again came back positive. This is freaking them out, obviously. How common are false positives? She's had blood work done since the husband died, and nothing came up like this; if she does have it, should it not have shown? Any suggestions, good thoughts, etc, I can pass on to these folks? They are like family to me.

mnottertail -> RE: Syphilis (9/23/2009 4:05:43 PM)
they are testing for antibodies, he could have been with someone before her.....a thousand years ago, maybe his mom had it when he was born, he never actually 'caught' it, and passed on the stuff to her.

Politesub53 -> RE: Syphilis (9/23/2009 4:08:35 PM)
Level, I dont know much about it, although i recall it can be passed on at birth. There are also a few different types, so a test to pinpont which is the way to go.

windchymes -> RE: Syphilis (9/23/2009 4:15:44 PM)
Syphillis is caused by a type of bacteria called spirochetes, and it hangs around for awhile, then it goes into a dormant stage that can last for years and years. It can resurface in the elderly in what is called the "tertiary" stage and really do some nasty things. They showed us some really graphic photos when I was in lab tech school. The lady is actually very lucky they found it now before that happened. Chances are, her husband contracted it when he was younger, (was he a soldier or sailor?), passed it along to her, and she was either asymptomatic (no symptoms) or had a very light case of it that cleared up and went dormant. I think they can still treat it with antibiotics, even at this late stage. They must have lived in a state that did not require a blood test for syphillis before marriage.

Level -> RE: Syphilis (9/23/2009 4:17:30 PM)
Thanks, guys. The first thing that came to mind was, yes, she got it from the husband, and it just has been dormant (she has no symptoms, also), but my friend told me that due to the husband being ill the latter part of his life, they didn't have sex for probably close to two decades.

windchymes -> RE: Syphilis (9/23/2009 4:20:06 PM)
Are you SURE you don't have syph, Level? SHE had no symptoms for 70 years.......

mnottertail -> RE: Syphilis (9/23/2009 4:21:34 PM)
can syph be passed on orally like that windchymes? cause I could see level doing that. You know, staci's mom has got it going on, and all that. R

Level -> RE: Syphilis (9/23/2009 4:22:25 PM)
quote: ORIGINAL: windchymes Syphillis is caused by a type of bacteria called spirochetes, and it hangs around for awhile, then it goes into a dormant stage that can last for years and years. It can resurface in the elderly in what is called the "tertiary" stage and really do some nasty things. They showed us some really graphic photos when I was in lab tech school. The lady is actually very lucky they found it now before that happened. Chances are, her husband contracted it when he was younger, (was he a soldier or sailor?), passed it along to her, and she was either asymptomatic (no symptoms) or had a very light case of it that cleared up and went dormant. I think they can still treat it with antibiotics, even at this late stage. They must have lived in a state that did not require a blood test for syphillis before marriage. He was in the service, in WW II, before he met her. It certainly wouldn't be unusual for him to have been with someone then, and maybe, in an effort to not lose her once they did meet, not be honest about that time in his life. The daughter spoke to the doctor late today, asked him why he would check for syphilis, the doc said he was checking for something to do with her gait?? She has been worried that she has Alzheimers, and I think that test is what led to the syphilis conclusion.

Level -> RE: Syphilis (9/23/2009 4:24:22 PM)
Har har, you two. [:D]

windchymes -> RE: Syphilis (9/23/2009 4:27:22 PM)
quote: ORIGINAL: Level quote: ORIGINAL: windchymes Syphillis is caused by a type of bacteria called spirochetes, and it hangs around for awhile, then it goes into a dormant stage that can last for years and years. It can resurface in the elderly in what is called the "tertiary" stage and really do some nasty things. They showed us some really graphic photos when I was in lab tech school. The lady is actually very lucky they found it now before that happened. Chances are, her husband contracted it when he was younger, (was he a soldier or sailor?), passed it along to her, and she was either asymptomatic (no symptoms) or had a very light case of it that cleared up and went dormant. I think they can still treat it with antibiotics, even at this late stage. They must have lived in a state that did not require a blood test for syphillis before marriage. He was in the service, in WW II, before he met her. It certainly wouldn't be unusual for him to have been with someone then, and maybe, in an effort to not lose her once they did meet, not be honest about that time in his life. The daughter spoke to the doctor late today, asked him why he would check for syphilis, the doc said he was checking for something to do with her gait?? She has been worried that she has Alzheimers, and I think that test is what led to the syphilis conclusion. Yes, it's not uncommon to test for it in older people. It can absolutely cause neurological gait and joint problems. I just came from Wikipedia.....there's a pretty good article in there that explains it all.

windchymes -> RE: Syphilis (9/23/2009 4:30:01 PM)
quote: ORIGINAL: mnottertail can syph be passed on orally like that windchymes? cause I could see level doing that. You know, staci's mom has got it going on, and all that. R Thick coats of red lipstick will make you, well, her, immune. You know how spirochetes are.....

Rule -> RE: Syphilis (9/23/2009 4:35:53 PM)
The first test was an indication, the second test was to make sure of the first test. Yes, I would conclude that she has syphilis.

Level -> RE: Syphilis (9/23/2009 4:39:18 PM)
If she does have it, I hope the antibiotics CAN deal with it. Damn. So, two false positive tests is unlikely?

windchymes -> RE: Syphilis (9/23/2009 4:42:55 PM)
Fortunately, it's easily treated with a 3-week regimen of penicillin, tetracycline or doxycycline. All cheap and common antibiotics :) (Although it's hard to believe she went her entire life without ever taking any of the above....which should have eradicated the infection.......???)

mnottertail -> RE: Syphilis (9/23/2009 4:44:35 PM)
unless she is one who never completes the regimen? HAH?

Level -> RE: Syphilis (9/23/2009 4:48:40 PM)
See, that is the kind of thing that doesn't make sense!

windchymes -> RE: Syphilis (9/23/2009 4:51:31 PM)
Which is very likely. Also, most antibiotic regimens are 10 days to 2 weeks, and they're recommending 3 weeks. That also makes the possibility of her having some resistant-strain of Treponema pallidum (the spirochete-type bacteria that causes it, in case you were wondering) a little higher. Bottom line, though is, she is REALLY lucky this happened and they found it!

Level -> RE: Syphilis (9/23/2009 5:30:06 PM)
Good deal, then [:)] I appreciate the help, my friends. Genuinely.

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