Syphilis

Primary syphilis of the penis 1

Syphilis is a chronic, systemic infection caused by Treponema pallidum. Untreated, it is characterized by periods of clinical disease interspersed with asymptomatic or latent periods. It is usually transmitted sexually as the result of exposure and contact with moist genital or skin lesions. syphilis may also be passed from mother to fetus resulting in congenital syphilis - which may leave debilitating sequelae.

Primary syphilis, the first stage of the disease, occurs within 10-90 days of infection. It is characterized by a primary, painless lesion at the site of inoculation such as the lesion seen on the coronal sulcus of the penis in this slide.

Source: Boehringer-Ingelheim