Syphilis—Aortic Aneurysm

An aneurysm is a bulge or “ballooning” in the wall of an artery. Arteries are blood vessels that carry oxygen-rich blood from the heart to other parts of the body. If an aneurysm grows large, it can burst and cause dangerous bleeding or even death.

Most aneurysms are in the aorta, the main artery that runs from the heart through the chest and abdomen.

There are two types of aortic aneurysm:

• Thoracic aortic aneurysms (TAA) – these occur in the part of the aorta running through the chest
• Abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAA) – these occur in the part of the aorta running through the abdomen

Most aneurysms are found during tests done for other reasons. Some people are at high risk for aneurysms. It is important for them to get screening, because aneurysms can develop and become large before causing any symptoms. Screening is recommended for people between the ages of 65 and 75 if they have a family history, or if they are men who have smoked. Doctors use imaging tests to find aneurysms. Medicines and surgery are the two main treatments.

NIH: National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute

• Abdominal aortic aneurysm (Medical Encyclopedia)
• Abdominal aortic aneurysm repair – open (Medical Encyclopedia)
• Abdominal aortic aneurysm repair – open – discharge (Medical Encyclopedia)
• Aortic aneurysm repair – endovascular (Medical Encyclopedia)
• Aortic aneurysm repair – endovascular- discharge (Medical Encyclopedia)
• Aortic dissection (Medical Encyclopedia)
• Thoracic aortic aneurysm (Medical Encyclopedia)

Syphilis is a sexually transmitted disease caused by bacteria. It infects the genital area, lips, mouth, or anus of both men and women. You usually get syphilis from sexual contact with someone who has it. It can also pass from mother to baby during pregnancy.

The early stage of syphilis usually causes a single, small, painless sore. Sometimes it causes swelling in nearby lymph nodes. If you do not treat it, syphilis usually causes a non-itchy skin rash, often on your hands and feet. Many people do not notice symptoms for years. Symptoms can go away and come back.

The sores caused by syphilis make it easier to get or give someone HIV during sex. If you are pregnant, syphilis can cause birth defects, or you could lose your baby. In rare cases, syphilis causes serious health problems and even death.

Syphilis is easy to cure with antibiotics if you catch it early. Correct usage of latex condoms greatly reduces, but does not completely eliminate, the risk of catching or spreading syphilis.

NIH: National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases

• Condom Fact Sheet in Brief (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) – PDF
• Congenital syphilis (Medical Encyclopedia)
• CSF-VDRL test (Medical Encyclopedia)
• FTA-ABS test (Medical Encyclopedia)
• Neurosyphilis (Medical Encyclopedia)
• RPR test (Medical Encyclopedia)
• Syphilis (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) – PDF
• Syphilis – primary (Medical Encyclopedia)
• Syphilis and MSM (Men Who Have Sex with Men) (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) – PDF
• VDRL test (Medical Encyclopedia)