Question

The organ that can be affected by untreated syphilis is
(a) Heart
(b) Brain
(c) Liver
(d) Both A and B

Answer 1

Hint: Syphilis is a sexually transmitted disease transmitted from person to person by sexual contact. Its primary effect is minor but if left untreated it becomes severe and can affect internal organs.

Complete Answer:
Syphilis caused by spirochaete Treponema pallidum. The first sign of syphilis is a small sore developing on the genitals, this sore also called a chance. In some people, it is painful while some don’t feel pain and that's why it is unpredictable at the primary stage. After healing of sores, rashes start to develop on the neck, and slowly it covers the whole body. Secondary syphilis also includes swollen joints, swollen lymph nodes, fever, flu-like illness, and hair loss. After secondary syphilis body experience no symptoms, this stage is caused by latent syphilis and this syphilis remains for years. Lastly, the body started to experience symptoms like chronic ulcers on the nose, lower leg, and palate. This type of symptoms occurs in third syphilis where the heart, brain, nerves, blood vessels, bone, and joint get affected.

Additional information: If syphilis remains untreated it will lead to the occurrence of HIV infection. Primary syphilis easily gets cured by penicillin and tetracycline but tertiary syphilis needs proper care and a high amount of antibiotics to control the spread of infection inside the body.
Other sexually transmitted diseases include Gonorrhoea, genital herpes, Genital warts, Chancroid, trichomoniasis, etc. The sexually transmitted disease is prevented by using condoms, and by avoiding sex with multiple partners.
So, the correct answer is ‘(d) Both A and B’.

Note: Syphilis is not only transmitted by sexual contact, but it is also transmitted from mother to embryo which leads to congenital heart disease in embryo, abnormal growth, and in some cases stillborn take place in which a dead child is born.