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Syphilis on skin

I was at a store and the clerk at the check out had sores on her face, one under her mouth. She touched her face a few times and touched my card and my items and my bag. I immediately touched these things too and may have touched broken skin on my face. Is it possible to get syphilis this way, and can syphilis live on intact skin (on hands), or does it die immediately like on other surfaces? I'm really freaking out and I don't want to somehow spread it to my family. Thanks to anyone who can help me.
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Avatar universal
Okay, Shaken, that seems more reasonable.
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Avatar universal
Absolutely not.  There is no reason for you to suspect a stranger has syphilis just because they have what might appear to be syphilis sores to you.  You have no clue what the wounds were or how she got them, so please do not approach her about syphilis or assume she has any other STD's.  
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Avatar universal
I went back to the store and saw her but she was on the phone. There was basically nothing there anymore. 2 days ago when I saw her, it was a scabbed over sore under her bottom lip and she had a smaller scab on her nose. I'll still ask my doctor if she should be approached about it.
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Avatar universal
Well, quite honestly, you don't know if that was a Syphilis sore or not... so on one side, if you want to be sure, go there and ask her in private about it.

Be polite and do NOT sound as if you are accusing her of anything.
Merely tell her you were curious out of concern for yourself as well as her.

I guess you could consult with your doctor about it, but if I was in your shoes, I'd probably ask/tell the lady first.
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Avatar universal
Thank you for more reassurance. I'll consider what you say about asking her. She's an older lady and works in a pharmacy. I'm not sure if a stranger like me would be best to ask her about it. She works with a pharmacist, deals with doctors who work in this small town and most likely has friends and family. I have a doctor appt. coming up and I will ask him what he thinks I should do. I didn't even realize to consider her health when I thought if asking if it was a cold sore or something. Anyway, thanks so much.
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Avatar universal
Vance's advice is highly accurate.
Syphilis bacterium dies in contact with the air... therefore, you cannot contract it this way.

Also, may I recommend that you go back to the store and see if you can ask the clerk if she actually has/had Syphilis and advise her to get tested for Syphilis if she doesn't know what the sore was?
If she doesn't know the potential cause of the sore, then it might be beneficial for her to get tested for Syphilis just in just in case.

But in terms of actual infection possibility... even if that was a Syphilis sore, then the chances of spreading the infection are as I already mentioned effectively non-existent.
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Avatar universal
You don't have to do anything.
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Avatar universal
Thank you for your quick response. So, is washing hands good enough if someone touches a syphilis sore or something?
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Avatar universal
Syphilis is a STD, STD's have that name for a reason. They are not transmitted from secondary touch or from any touch.
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