Why do I need a syphilis test?
You may need a syphilis test if your sexual partner has been diagnosed with syphilis and/or you have symptoms of the disease. Symptoms usually appear about two to three weeks after infection and include:
Small, painless sore (chancre) on the genitals, anus, or mouth
Rough, red rash, usually on the palms of the hands or the bottom of the feet
Fever
Headache
Swollen glands
Fatigue
Weight loss
Hair loss
Even if you don't have symptoms, you may need a test if you are at a higher risk of infection. Risk factors include having:
Multiple sex partners
A partner with multiple sex partners
Unprotected sex (sex without using a condom)
An HIV/AIDS infection
Another sexually transmitted disease, such as gonorrhea
You may also need this test if you are pregnant. Syphilis can be passed from a mother to her unborn baby. A syphilis infection can cause serious, and sometimes deadly, complications to infants. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that all pregnant women get tested early in pregnancy. Women who have risk factors for syphilis should be tested again in the third trimester of pregnancy (28–32 weeks) and again at delivery.
