oral syphilis

[alanwhittle]

Hi I have had two encounters with men in the last three months. None with the wife. Theencounters were for5 minutes each. About threeweeks ago I had a blood draw for cholestrral .2 days later I had a red rash on my inside of my time where is the blood draw had been takenI got really worried by this andr decided to go to the gum clinic the lady who saw me check my whole body and my glands as well under my arms and on my neck..she said at the end that some people are asymptomatic for syphilis what is the chance  that I have syphilis or any other sexually transmitted s t d. I have no symptoms and I am very worried nor have I had chancers

[Edward W Hook, MD]

I'm confident you'll be fine.  EWH

[alanwhittle]

Thank you I know I am nervous that's all just have to wait for the results. Sorry about the pronunciation I was travelling at the time of post.

[Edward W Hook, MD]

Please use punctuation in your communications, when you don't I can only guess at what you are trying to say.

There is no good answer to the question of how many people with syphilis are asymptomatic as this is influenced by other factors such as sites of exposure, etc.  In your case, given the history you have provided, if you had gotten syphilis through oral sex you would have developed sores on your mouth (if you performed oral sex) or your penis (if you received oral sex from an infected person).  

I agree with the clinician who saw you- a rash on the inside of your elbow does not raise concerns about syphilis.  EWH

[alanwhittle]

Hi doc sorry but no I have had no rash on my hands it was actually where they drew blood and was on the inside of my elbow I.e where my skin had been punctuered by a needle for cholesteral test the gum doctor looked at this and just dismissed it she also check my body for signs and could not find any my question was on average how many people are asymtomatic to syphilis and what are the chhances that I have passed this on by skin contact to other people if any I live in the England please help. The rash on the inside of my elbow was raised and bled slightly was roughly three inch wide and two inch long am I panicking. Also it itched slightly thanks

[Edward W Hook, MD]

Welcome to the Forum.  I see that this question has worried you for several days.  Oral syphilis occurs following direct contact with a partner's syphilis lesion and in turn leads to a lesion at the site of contact.  Syphilis is a relatively rare disease and oral syphilis is particularly rare.  If you have not developed an oral sore at the site of contact, you can be comfortable that you did not get syphilis.  If you need reassurance, a blood test could be performed and, when the blood test is negative, it should be accepted as proof that you did not get syphilis.

I suspect part of your concerns are related to the rash on your hands since the rash of secondary syphilis can occur on the palms of the hands and soles of the feet.  If this rash were due to syphilis however once again, your blood test would have been positive.

I hope these comments are helpful.  I would not worry.  EWH