Syphilis in Men: Symptoms, Stages, and What to Expect

Primary Syphilis

• Firm, round, painless chancre on penis, scrotum, or rectum.
• Appears 10–90 days post-exposure.
• Heals spontaneously in 3–6 weeks without treatment.

Secondary Syphilis

• Rash on trunk spreading to extremities; red/brown, possibly itchy/scaly.
• Fever, chills, fatigue, headache, sore throat, myalgia, arthralgia.
• Occurs 2–8 weeks after chancre heals.

Latent Syphilis

• Asymptomatic; can last years or decades.

Tertiary Syphilis

• Severe organ damage: brain, heart, eyes.
• Blindness, deafness, paralysis, mental impairment, death.

Congenital Syphilis

• Mother-to-baby transmission during pregnancy/birth.
• Prematurity, low birth weight, rash, blindness, deafness, mental impairment.

Early testing and treatment are critical to prevent progression.