[Question #2882] SYPHILLlIS Follow up

94 months ago

Doctor

I apologize. I am just still concerend about the possible chance I have secondary Syphillis. You mentioned that it was to early to present at day 18 after exposure. The rash looks like follicutis on area of my lower back to shoulder blades. I am itchy in may parts of my body.

My concern is what is the Rocephin shot was not effective and that this is an early manifestation of Syphilis? I have a wife and a young baby that I have much skin to skin contact with either during play or sleeping.

I took a blood test 2 days ago and the results were all negative, but I am worried that it is to early to be positive at this point. Would a test at 20 days show anything if I was infected?

I am so sorry to bother you but I am still very concerned

In my first post I never really explained the rash very well.

Thank you

H. Hunter Handsfield, MD

94 months ago

Sorry, we can't help any more than we already have. You have had my reasoned, science based reasurrance. Your ongoing concerns are not rational. There is no such thing as ceftriaxone (Rocephin) not being effective in preventing syphilis if given in the several days after exposure. On top of which, you had a low risk exposure in regard to syphilis, as discussed last time.

There is nothing more to say. Sorry.

HHH, MD

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94 months ago

Thank you.

But can you PLEASE answer if I was having symptoms would the c=blood test at 20 days show any thing? Any antibodies or anything to indicate infection. This is all I want to know to stop thinking about it.

Would the blood test have any reaction if active infection by day 20 when test was taken??

Thank you

H. Hunter Handsfield, MD

94 months ago

Yes, if your rash were due to syphillis, the test would be positive at 20 days (or any time after the rash appeared). But you are way over-obsessed with the blood test, as if that were the only evidence against sypphilis. I gave you several other reasons as well, which are just as important.

It would be great if this final answer finally lets you "stop thinkking about it", but even if it does not, additional questions on this topic will not be answered. The forum does not permit repeated questions on the same topic or exposure. This will have to be your last one; future new questions about this exposure, testing, and your fears about syphilis or other STDs will be deleted without reply and without refund of the posting fee. This policy is based on compassion, not criticism, and is designed to reduce temptations to keep paying for questions with obvious answers. In addition, experience shows that continued answers tend to prolong users' anxieties rather than reducing them. Finally, such questions have little educational value for other users, one of the forum's main objectives.

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