tertiary syphilis

syphilis /syph·i·lis/ (sif´ĭ-lis) a venereal disease caused by Treponema pallidum, leading to many structural and cutaneous lesions, transmitted by direct sexual contact or in utero. See primary s., secondary s., and tertiary s. syphilit´ic

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congenital syphilis  syphilis acquired in utero, manifested by any of several characteristic malformations of teeth or bones and by active mucocutaneous syphilis at birth or shortly thereafter, and by ocular or neurologic changes.

endemic syphilis , nonvenereal syphilis a chronic inflammatory infection caused by a treponema morphologically indistinguishable from Treponema pallidum, transmitted nonsexually; the early stage is marked by mucous patches and by moist papules in the axillae and skin folds; a latent stage and finally late complications, including gummata, follow.

primary syphilis  syphilis in its first stage, the primary lesion being a chancre, which is infectious and painless; the nearby lymph nodes become hard and swollen.

secondary syphilis  syphilis in the second of three stages, with fever, multiform skin eruptions (syphilids), iritis, alopecia, mucous patches, and severe pain in the head, joints, and periosteum.

tertiary syphilis  late generalized syphilis, with involvement of many organs and tissues, including skin, bones, joints, and cardiovascular and central nervous systems; see also tabes dorsalis.

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tertiary syphilis

n.

The final stage of syphilis, marked by gumma formation, cellular infiltration, and cardiovascular and central nervous system lesions.

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tertiary syphilis

Etymology: L, tertius, third

the most advanced stage of syphilis, resulting in infections of the cardiovascular and neurologic systems and marked by destructive lesions involving many tissues and organs. Late-stage syphilis is symptomatic but not contagious.

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tertiary syphilis (sif´lis),

n the most advanced stage of syphilis, result-ing in infections of the cardiovascular and neurologic systems and marked by destructive lesions involving many tissues and organs.

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tertiary syphilis

Late syphilis STD A late phase of syphilis preceded, often by many yrs, by primary and secondary syphilis, caused by the spirochetes of Treponema pallidum which continued to reproduce for up to 15 years; focal damage in the form of highly destructive gummas occurs in bone, skin, nervous tissue, heart, arteries; neurosyphilis has many clinical forms–tabes dorsalis, general paresis and optic atrophy; cardiovascular involvement leads to aortic aneurysms, valvular heart disease, aortitis. See Benign late syphilis, Congenital syphilis, Latent syphilis, Neurosyphilis, Primary syphilis, Secondary syphilis, Syphilis.