tertiary syphilis
Advanced venereal disease
Tertiary syphilis is the most severe stage of syphilis infection, occurring years or decades after initial infection if left untreated.
The disease attacks major organ systems—the heart, brain, blood vessels, bones, and skin—causing potentially fatal damage.
Neurosyphilis brings dementia and paralysis; cardiovascular syphilis weakens the aorta.
The autopsy revealed tertiary syphilis had destroyed his heart valves.
This stage was once common but is now rare where antibiotics are available.
- Treponema pallidumCausative agent of lues
- tabes dorsalisSyphilitic spinal cord degeneration
- spirocheteSpiral-shaped bacterium
- infectious diseasePathogen-caused transmissible ailment
- dementiaChronic cognitive impairment
madness · mad as a hatter · cardiovascular disease · cognitive impairment · heart failure · meningitis · mercury · aneurysm · asylum · skin lesions · penicillin treatment · chancre · ulceration · Victorian · bacterial infection · pathogen · blood test · penicillin
- spirochete diseasesleptospirosis, Lyme disease, yaws, pinta, spirochete
- syphilisTreponema pallidum, chancre, spirochete, tabes dorsalis, Hutchinson's teeth
tertiary syphilishealth
Condition of body, mind
wellness · uninfected · seronegative · disease-free · healthy