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What Is The Difference Between Canker Sore And Oral Mucous Patches?
Question: What is the difference between a canker sore and oral mucous patches of secondary syphilis. I had a low risk exposure and had some canker sores lately and in my studies I came across the fact they are similar to mucous patches of secondary syphilis. my low risk exposure was sucking a women's breast nipple. 8 weeks later I had a negative rpr, but a week after i had a small sore on my incisive papilla that looked a bit like a chancre. I saw a primary care doc who said it was not. Am I still at risk
Brief Answer:
Mucous patches are painless
Detailed Answer:
Hello. Welcome back. Thank you for writing to us at healthcaremagic
Mucous patches of syphilis are generally painless lesions whereas canker sores are very painful.
Moreover, mucous patches appear at the same time as would skin lesions of secondary syphilis.
So, there would be a skin rash as well in secondary syphilis.
Regards
Mucous patches are painless
Detailed Answer:
Hello. Welcome back. Thank you for writing to us at healthcaremagic
Mucous patches of syphilis are generally painless lesions whereas canker sores are very painful.
Moreover, mucous patches appear at the same time as would skin lesions of secondary syphilis.
So, there would be a skin rash as well in secondary syphilis.
Regards
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Vinay Bhardwaj
Ok what about the actual risk. Is sucking a nipple a risk, was 8 week long enough for rpr to be accurate
Brief Answer:
You are safe
Detailed Answer:
Hi
One cannot get syphilis from sucking on to a nipple unless an infectious lesion of syphilis like a syphilitic chancre/Open sore, is present on the nipple.
Moreover, If there were a chancre on nipple you would have noticed it. A syphilitic chancre is so obvious that it is unlikely to have been missed.
Also, nipple is a very uncommon site for a syphilitic chancre and if it would have been there you must have noticed it.
Syphilis has an average incubation period of 3 weeks (range 9-90 days), therefore, a negative RPR at 8 weeks more or less rules out syphilis.
The recommendation is, a 12 week(3 month) RPR is to be taken as conclusive. This is to cover for the upper limit of incubation period of syphilis, however, considering the nature of sexual exposure you had I don't think you need to even think about re-testing at 12 weeks.
Regards
You are safe
Detailed Answer:
Hi
One cannot get syphilis from sucking on to a nipple unless an infectious lesion of syphilis like a syphilitic chancre/Open sore, is present on the nipple.
Moreover, If there were a chancre on nipple you would have noticed it. A syphilitic chancre is so obvious that it is unlikely to have been missed.
Also, nipple is a very uncommon site for a syphilitic chancre and if it would have been there you must have noticed it.
Syphilis has an average incubation period of 3 weeks (range 9-90 days), therefore, a negative RPR at 8 weeks more or less rules out syphilis.
The recommendation is, a 12 week(3 month) RPR is to be taken as conclusive. This is to cover for the upper limit of incubation period of syphilis, however, considering the nature of sexual exposure you had I don't think you need to even think about re-testing at 12 weeks.
Regards
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Yogesh D
Hi Doc,
I am trying hard to shake this fear. I have even started therapy. Today I noticed what looks like a small bald spot in my beard ( there are some lighter hair in the spot but it is obvious the hair is sparse as compared to surrounding area) of course I related this to syphilis. I did read something that helped put aside my fears and would like to know your opinion on it so I can move on. I read on medhelp.org by Dr. Handsfield that 2.4 BPG will protect from syphilis infection if re exposes for 3-4 weeks after the shot. I had that dose 12 days prior to the nipple exposure. Here is the link with the conversation. Scroll to the bottom to see where he states the comment on BPG.
http://www.medhelp.org/posts/STDs/Help-me-understand/show/0000
Beyond this. I am under the assumption that if I did have Alopecia due to syphilis it would be in more than one spot and would be wide spread.
ps. I do have a history of Alopecia Areata but not for many years and it was on the back of my scalp.
I am trying hard to shake this fear. I have even started therapy. Today I noticed what looks like a small bald spot in my beard ( there are some lighter hair in the spot but it is obvious the hair is sparse as compared to surrounding area) of course I related this to syphilis. I did read something that helped put aside my fears and would like to know your opinion on it so I can move on. I read on medhelp.org by Dr. Handsfield that 2.4 BPG will protect from syphilis infection if re exposes for 3-4 weeks after the shot. I had that dose 12 days prior to the nipple exposure. Here is the link with the conversation. Scroll to the bottom to see where he states the comment on BPG.
http://www.medhelp.org/posts/STDs/Help-me-understand/show/0000
Beyond this. I am under the assumption that if I did have Alopecia due to syphilis it would be in more than one spot and would be wide spread.
ps. I do have a history of Alopecia Areata but not for many years and it was on the back of my scalp.
Brief Answer:
Benzathine penicillin G protection would be present in serum for 2 weeks
Detailed Answer:
Hi.
Yes, I agree with him on this point but the protection would not last for 3-4 weeks but may be for 2 weeks after infection of BPG (Benzathine Penicillin G) because the antibiotic would be present in the serum above the required levels for killing treponemes for as long as 10-14 days.
Lower levels may last for 3-4 weeks but they would not be sufficient to kill treponemes.
Anyways please don't be worried about i don' think you could have got the infection from the kind of exposure that you had.
Even I think that the bald patch is due to alopecia areata, rather than due to anything else.
Regards
Benzathine penicillin G protection would be present in serum for 2 weeks
Detailed Answer:
Hi.
Yes, I agree with him on this point but the protection would not last for 3-4 weeks but may be for 2 weeks after infection of BPG (Benzathine Penicillin G) because the antibiotic would be present in the serum above the required levels for killing treponemes for as long as 10-14 days.
Lower levels may last for 3-4 weeks but they would not be sufficient to kill treponemes.
Anyways please don't be worried about i don' think you could have got the infection from the kind of exposure that you had.
Even I think that the bald patch is due to alopecia areata, rather than due to anything else.
Regards
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Ok...if I was exposed ( I know unlikely) and the shot did not protect me...would it cause lat sero conversion making my 8 week test invalid? It is also written in very credible and widely used infectious disease that text book 3-4 weeks would be a valid time frame to protect from re infection, I will connect a screen shot from that book. Is there other literature to support a shorter time period.
Finally, I am assuming that if I did have alopecia due to syphils it would be wide spread and not one very small area on the beard. Correct...thank you
Finally, I am assuming that if I did have alopecia due to syphils it would be wide spread and not one very small area on the beard. Correct...thank you
Brief Answer:
I single injection would protect for 2 weeks. Can take up a TPHA test
Detailed Answer:
Hi.
Treponeme cidal levels with a single shot of Benzathine Penicillin G lasting for 3-4 weeks is a bit too long in my view.
We take it 2 weeks on an average even though the range of treponeme cidal levels after a single does of Benzathine penicillin G is 2-3 weeks but it is never up to 4 weeks..
please refer to link: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC0000/
go to page number 5 under the heading "Penicillin-based treatment for syphilis".
It this article it is said that treponeme cidal levels of penicillin must be maintained for approximately 10–14 days to cure early syphilis and that is what we can expect a single injection of Benzathine pencillin G to do, not more than that i.e provide protection for 2 weeks. If any new exposure after 2 weeks better to get another shot.
Even though this article further goes on to say that a single injection would provide adequate levels for 2-3 weeks but I believe it would be better and safe by treating a new exposure after 2 weeks of first injection with another injection rather than assuming that a single injection would protect against all exposures within 3-4 weeks.
If we suppose you were infected which is of course very unlikely, in that case you would still be having treponeme cidal levels of BP G in your serum (you took the shot 12 days prior to exposure).
Even if we suppose that the shot did not protect you then your 8 weeks test should have been positive (incubation period of syphilis is 3 weeks on an average). However it came out to be negative and that is valid in your case.
You may take up a specific test for syphilis e.g TPHA test. That would be even more surety even though i am already convinced that are absolutely safe.
Regards
I single injection would protect for 2 weeks. Can take up a TPHA test
Detailed Answer:
Hi.
Treponeme cidal levels with a single shot of Benzathine Penicillin G lasting for 3-4 weeks is a bit too long in my view.
We take it 2 weeks on an average even though the range of treponeme cidal levels after a single does of Benzathine penicillin G is 2-3 weeks but it is never up to 4 weeks..
please refer to link: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC0000/
go to page number 5 under the heading "Penicillin-based treatment for syphilis".
It this article it is said that treponeme cidal levels of penicillin must be maintained for approximately 10–14 days to cure early syphilis and that is what we can expect a single injection of Benzathine pencillin G to do, not more than that i.e provide protection for 2 weeks. If any new exposure after 2 weeks better to get another shot.
Even though this article further goes on to say that a single injection would provide adequate levels for 2-3 weeks but I believe it would be better and safe by treating a new exposure after 2 weeks of first injection with another injection rather than assuming that a single injection would protect against all exposures within 3-4 weeks.
If we suppose you were infected which is of course very unlikely, in that case you would still be having treponeme cidal levels of BP G in your serum (you took the shot 12 days prior to exposure).
Even if we suppose that the shot did not protect you then your 8 weeks test should have been positive (incubation period of syphilis is 3 weeks on an average). However it came out to be negative and that is valid in your case.
You may take up a specific test for syphilis e.g TPHA test. That would be even more surety even though i am already convinced that are absolutely safe.
Regards
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Vinay Bhardwaj
Brief Answer:
Hair loss usually has widespread scalp involvement
Detailed Answer:
Hi.
Yes, the injection would probably have protected you from re-infection during the 2 weeks period after injection but i won't even consider that was a re-exposure at first place.
Treatment of syphilis is never presumptive. Treatment is only for a confirmed case of syphilis.
We order test for syphilis only if the we feel there would be an exposure risk. In your case I would'nt have even ordered a test.
Your 8 weeks RPR test has already ruled out syphilis because you never acquired syphilis rather than benzathine pen G levels protecting you. Any which ways you are safe. So no question of syphilis now.
Hair loss associated with syphilis is rare and commonly has a moth-eaten appearance. It is widespread Or has multiple patches rather than just a single localized patch, as in your case.
Syphilitic alopecia mainly involves the scalp and is considered to be a pathognomonic of secondary syphilis. Rarely it may involve other hair bearing areas.
You probably only have alopecia areata.
Regards
Hair loss usually has widespread scalp involvement
Detailed Answer:
Hi.
Yes, the injection would probably have protected you from re-infection during the 2 weeks period after injection but i won't even consider that was a re-exposure at first place.
Treatment of syphilis is never presumptive. Treatment is only for a confirmed case of syphilis.
We order test for syphilis only if the we feel there would be an exposure risk. In your case I would'nt have even ordered a test.
Your 8 weeks RPR test has already ruled out syphilis because you never acquired syphilis rather than benzathine pen G levels protecting you. Any which ways you are safe. So no question of syphilis now.
Hair loss associated with syphilis is rare and commonly has a moth-eaten appearance. It is widespread Or has multiple patches rather than just a single localized patch, as in your case.
Syphilitic alopecia mainly involves the scalp and is considered to be a pathognomonic of secondary syphilis. Rarely it may involve other hair bearing areas.
You probably only have alopecia areata.
Regards
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Raju A.T
Along with the breast sucking the women also masterbated me....I'm assuming that is also a no risk situation and I never saw a chancre and of course had the 8 week negative rpr. This will be my last question
Brief Answer:
You are safe from this particular act as well.
Detailed Answer:
Hi.
This is also a no risk situation not only for syphilis but for all the STD's.
You can always get back to us in case you have more queries.
Regards
Take care.
You are safe from this particular act as well.
Detailed Answer:
Hi.
This is also a no risk situation not only for syphilis but for all the STD's.
You can always get back to us in case you have more queries.
Regards
Take care.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Vaishalee Punj
This question is in regards to a previous conversation we had, but are XXXXXXX and EIA tests just as sensitive as confirmatory tests (my wife had XXXXXXX when she has false positive rpr months ago) as tppa or fta- abs, when she was re tested two weeks later....7 weeks later her rpr and eia were negative
It was 7 weeks after our last sex, the last sentence was confusing
Thanks
It was 7 weeks after our last sex, the last sentence was confusing
Thanks
Brief Answer:
EIA and XXXXXXX are specific tests for syphilis
Detailed Answer:
Hi.
Yes, EIA tests have been shown to be equal to FTA-ABS and TP-PA tests in overall sensitivity and specificity.
Regards
EIA and XXXXXXX are specific tests for syphilis
Detailed Answer:
Hi.
Yes, EIA tests have been shown to be equal to FTA-ABS and TP-PA tests in overall sensitivity and specificity.
Regards
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
XXXXXXX are equal to EIA as well?
Brief Answer:
EIA and XXXXXXX are both specific tests for syphilis
Detailed Answer:
Hi.
Yes, it is.
Regards
EIA and XXXXXXX are both specific tests for syphilis
Detailed Answer:
Hi.
Yes, it is.
Regards
Note: Consult a Sexual Diseases Specialist online for further follow up- Click here.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
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