What Are the Stages of Syphilis?

Introduction:

Syphilis is a sexually transmitted infection (STI) caused by a bacteria known as Treponema Pallidum. The proportion of women with Syphilis has been declining in the United States, but the rate among men, particularly men who have sex with men, has been increasing. 

Syphilis can be challenging to diagnose. Someone can have it without showing any signs for years. However, the earlier it is detected, the better and easy it is to cure. If it remains untreated for a long period than can cause major damage to important organs, like the heart and brain. That is why, it is crucial to do Syphilis testing the moment you notice any Symptom.

Do I have Syphilis? 

The first symptom of syphilis is a small, painless sore. It can arrive on the sexual organs, rectum, or inside the mouth. This sore is called a Chancre. People often fail to notice it proper away. Syphilis is only spread by direct contact with syphilitic chancres. It can’t be spread by sharing a toilet with another person, wearing another person’s clothes, or using another person’s eating utensils. 

Stages of Syphilis:

It has four stages, Primary, Secondary, Latent, and Tertiary.

1.Primary Stage:

The primary stage of syphilis occurs around three to four weeks after a person contracted to the bacteria. It starts with a small, round sore called a Chancre. It is painless but it’s extremely infectious. This sore may develop wherever the bacteria entered the body, such as on or inside the mouth, genitals, or rectum. On average, the sore shows up around three weeks after infection, but it can take 10 to 90 days to appear. The sore lasts for anywhere between two to six weeks. Syphilis is spread by direct contact with a sore. This usually happens during sexual activity, including oral sex.

2.Secondary Stage:

Skin rashes and a severe throat may develop during the second stage of syphilis. The rash won’t itch and it usually found on the palms and soles but it may occur anywhere on the body. Some people don’t notice the rash before it goes off. Other signs of secondary syphilis are such as headaches, fever, swollen lymph nodes, fatigue, weight loss, hair loss, and aching joints. These symptoms will go away whether or not treatment is taken. However, without treatment a person still has syphilis.

3.Latent Stage:

The third stage of syphilis is the latent stage. The primary and secondary symptoms disappear and there won’t be any noticeable symptoms at this stage. However, the bacteria remain in the body. This stage could last for years before progressing to the tertiary stage.

4.Tertiary Stage:

The last stage of syphilis infection is the tertiary stage. It can occur years or decades after the initial infection. This stage can be life-threatening. Some other potential outcomes of tertiary stage include are blindness, deafness, mental illness, memory loss, destruction of soft tissue and bone, neurological disorders, and heart disease.

If you have any doubt that you might have caught this hazardous infection, test yourself now with a DIY test for Syphilis – a Syphilis rapid test kit manufactured under strict quality controls at Head Start Testing. This easy to use kit gives precise and accurate results in the comfort of your own home. 

Hepatitis B Testing During Pregnancy! Required or Not?

The chronic Hepatitis B virus is affecting approximately 350 million individuals worldwide. Half of this estimated figure get infected from this virus either perinatally or in early childhood. According to reports over 1 million people are died badly with HBV infection which is increasing every year. 

To rein this rapidly increasing infection, people need to be well aware from it - in order dodge its bad impacts that include cirrhosis, liver failure or hepatocellular carcinoma that occurs in 15%-40% of infected subjects. 

In most of the cases, it is noted that babies born to a mother - who is suffering from this chronic infection, have a greater chance of having chronic hepatitis B if they are not properly treated at birth. Thus it very much important for women to have Hepatitis B testing in the early stage. This testing is will render the exact status of this infection in order to prevent passing the virus on to their newborn baby during delivery.

Also, it will help the doctor to make the required arrangements for having proper medications in the delivery room to prevent your baby from being infected.

In the pregnancy period, this testing is especially crucial for women who fall into high-risk groups such as women from ethnic communities where hepatitis B is common, health care workers spouses or partners living with an infected person. 

Tests and treatments for Hepatitis B during pregnancy 

Generally standard and routine tests are performed on all pregnant women at or before their first pregnancy - mostly in 12 to 14 weeks of the pregnancy. If the woman is carrying the hepatitis B virus, her blood test result will show as being 'positive' for the 'hepatitis B surface antigen'

If the test is positive, then your newborn baby must be given two shots immediately in the delivery room:

• First is the vaccine dose of the hepatitis B 
• The second dose of the Hepatitis B Immune Globulin (HBIG).

The proper dose of these two medications can increase 90% chance of a newborn from being protected against a lifelong hepatitis B infection. You need to be very much specific with its treatment for the baby and mother so that the patient receives the remaining shots in the series according to schedule to ensure complete protection.

DIY Testing :- 

DIY testing for hepatitis B is one of the most prominent ways to examine the stage of this chronic infection. This testing approach keeps your results private as you can test it in the convenience of your home on your own. 

Where to get these DIY test kits? 

Before choosing this test kit you need to check that test kit should be medically approved and manufactured under strict medical instructions. Head Start Testing is one of the finest manufacturers of high-quality test kits – prominent to deliver highly accurate results.

For more information, visit us online at – www.testkitlabs.com

Gonorrhea Testing – Why Is It Important?

Gonorrhea is a sexually transmitted disease(STD) that affect both woman and men. It is a common infection that in many instances, causes no symptoms. It most often affects the urethra, rectum or throat, and can also infect the cervix. It spread during sex and babies can be infected in their mothers pregnancy if they are infected. In babies, gonorrhea most commonly affects the eyes. Gonorrhea is a common infection that in many instances, causes no symptoms. Therefore, you should keep on doing Gonorrhea testing to detect this hazardous infection in its early stages.
Refraining from sex, using a condom if you do have sex and being in a mutually monogamous relationship are the best ways to prevent sexually transmitted infections.

Do I have Gonorrhea?
Are you having a painful feeling during urination or unusual excretion from the penis or vagina? Worried and presuming that ‘Do I have Gonorrhea’? Get tested with our fastest and most accurate FDA approved DIY rapid test kit - reliable for both men and women.
Go through these symptoms to figure it out.

Symptoms in men-

• Greater frequency or urgency of urination.
• A pus-like secretion (or drip) from the penis.
• Swelling or redness at the opening of the penis.
• Persistent sore throat.
• Pain in the testicles.

Symptoms in women-

• Discharge watery, creamy, or slightly green liquid from
• the vagina.
• Pain or burning sensation while urinating.
• The need to urinate more frequently.
• Heavier periods or spotting.
• Sore throat.

Causes-

This STD comes from a bacterium called Neisseria gonorrhoeae. Even though it spreads through sex, a man does not have to ejaculate in order to pass it on to his partner. You can get gonorrhea from any kind of sexual contact, including:

• Vaginal intercourse
• Anal intercourse
• Oral intercourse (both giving and receiving)

As with other germs, you can get the bacterium that causes gonorrhea just from touching an infected area on another person. If you come into contact with the penis, vagina, mouth, or anus of someone carrying this bacterium, you can get gonorrhea. These germs cannot live for more than a few seconds outside the body, so you can not get this STD by touching objects like toilet seats or clothes. But women who have gonorrhea can pass the disease on to their baby during vaginal delivery. Babies born by C-section cannot get it from their mother.

Treatment-

After a positive diagnosis for gonorrhea, appropriate and consistent treatment is necessary to successfully kill off the gonorrhea bacteria. Antibiotics often used to cure gonorrhea include azithromycin, doxycycline, ceftriaxone or cefixime. The CDC recommends dual therapy (i.e. using two antibiotics) for treating gonorrhea, due to this bacteria ability to sometimes become resistant to drugs. Speak to your doctor about what the best option is for you.

Prevention-

The most reliable ways to prevent gonorrhea are to:

* Abstain from sexual intercourse.

* Always use a condom during vaginal, oral, or anal sexual intercourse.

* Have a sexually monogamous partner who does not have the infection.

Since gonorrhea does not usually cause symptoms, it is important for people who are sexually active to get tested regularly. This is especially important if their partner has been diagnosed with gonorrhea. You can detect it simply via visiting a doctor but if you want to do it on your own, than you should go for a DIY test for Gonorrhea. Head Start Testing has come across with a rapid Gonorrhea testing kit that lets you detect this hazardous infection in the comfort of your own home.

Chlamydia – Symptoms, Diagnosis & Cure

What is Chlamydia?

Chlamydia is the most common Sexually Transmitted Disease that is caused by bacteria called Chlamydia trachomatis. 

How do you get Chlamydia?

Chlamydia is usually spread through sexual contact so it cannot be via casual contact such as - sharing food or drinks, kissing, hugging, holding hands, coughing, sneezing, or sitting on the toilet.

can get it:

by having vaginal, anal, or oral sex with someone who has chlamydia.

if you are a pregnant woman, then you can also pass chlamydia to your baby during childbirth.

by using shared sex toys that aren't washed or covered with a new condom each time they’re used.

if you come into contact with infected semen (cum) or vaginal fluid or get them in your eye.

by touching of genitals together.

Do I have Chlamydia?

Most of the people who are suffering from Chlamydia have no symptoms. However, it can damage your reproductive system without causing any symptoms. 

Symptoms in Women:

• low-grade fever
• swelling in the vagina or around the anus
• burning sensation when urination 
• nausea
• painful periods

Symptoms in Men:

• a white, cloudy or watery discharge from the penis
• Pain and swelling around the testicles
• a burning sensation when urinating

How is Chlamydia Diagnosed?

In most of the cases, Doctors use a swab to take a sample from the urethra in men or from the cervix in women and then send it to a laboratory for results. However, if you want to detect it on your own, you can buy a DIY Chlamydia testing kit available online at Head Start Testing.

Can Chlamydia be cured?

Yes, with the right treatment on time, it can be cured completely. Your doctor will prescribe you oral antibiotics. When taken properly it will stop the infection and could decrease your chances of having complications later on.

MultiSTD test pack 

If you are doubtful that you are suffering from some sexually transmitted infection, but not sure which one? Here is the solution for you. Shop for a MultiSTD test pack – a pack of 4 test kits that ensure you are free from serious and highly infectious STDs such as Chlamydia, Gonorrhea, Syphilis and Hepatitis B.

Unmask Syphilis With A DIY Syphilis Test Kit – Head Start Testing

Have you ever heard of Syphilis?

• Syphilis is a sexually transmitted disease caused by the T. pallidum bacteria that is transmitted by direct contact with a syphilitic sore that can be anywhere on the skin but most of the times it occurs on the vagina, anus, rectum, lips, and mouth.

• In most of the cases, it is spread via oral, anal, or vaginal sexual activity.

 

But don't worry it does not spread by using same doorknobs and toilet seats.

How chronic syphilis can be?

The very initial sign is a painless sore on the genitals, mouth, or skin surface. It usually does not cause any pain and hence goes unnoticed most of the times.

But if the bacteria does not get out of the body on time it can lead to some serious health problems like – damaging other organs and brain also.


Symptoms -

The symptoms of Syphilis are divided into following stages -

1) Primary stage – It is characterized with painless and round syphilitic sores, which are called chancres.

They disappear within 3 to 6 weeks if detected by syphilis testing, if not they lead to next phase.

2) Secondary stage – It is characterized by

• muscle aches
• fever
• a sore throat
• swollen lymph nodes
• patchy hair loss
• headaches
• weight loss and many more.

If not treated on time, they lead to the last stage.

3) Latent Stage – It is the very last stage of the infection.

Symptoms are -

• damage to the heart, liver, bones.
• tissue swellings that can occur anywhere on the body.
• Latent syphilis can often be fatal.

So it is very important to detect syphilis on time by using a Syphilis test kit. 

There are many syphilis test kits available in the market. Among all those kits, go for the best one – a highly reliable syphilis rapid test kit available at Head Start Testing.

This test kit is -

1) Easy to use and reliable test kit.

2) Suitable for both men and women.

3) Manufactured under ISO device standard that means –

• Improved Manufacturing Processes
• Meets Customer Requirements
• Legal Compliance
• Recognized by WHO and known for giving accurate results in just 10 minutes.

Visit online at ‘Head Start Testing’ and shop for it now!

Syphilis Testing | Head Start Testing

Syphilis is a really common STD that spread through vaginal, anal, and oral sex. Keep yourself protected from this hazardous infection with a DIY syphilis testing kit - available online at Head Start Testing. This FDA & WHO approved rapid test gives precise and accurate results in just 10 minutes.

SYPHILIS - What Is It? What Are Its Symptoms?

A brief about Syphilis:-

Syphilis is one of the most common types of STD that usually spread through vaginal, anal and oral sex. This disease starts just as a painless sore that can be on your genitals, rectum or mouth. And it can spread from one person to other people through skin contact with these sores.

After the initial infection, the syphilis bacteria can lie inactive in your body for a long time before becoming active again. However, it can be cured in early stages, sometimes just with a single injection of penicillin. Without required treatment, syphilis can damage your heart, brain and other organs. It can be life-threatening also. Unfortunately, it can be passed from mother to an unborn child as well.

Symptoms:-

Syphilis often develops in stages, and its symptoms vary with each stage. But the stages may overlap. Its symptoms don't necessarily occur in the same order. It may happen that you are infected with syphilis and don't notice any symptoms for a long time. The common symptoms are skin rash, skin growth on vulva in women and around the anus in both sexes, fever, headaches, hair loss etc.

Tests for Syphilis:-

If you have symptoms of syphilis and if the question that do I have syphilis, is bothering you, then you definitely need diy test for syphilis. 

The most specific test for establishing syphilis is the Fluorescent Treponemal antibody absorption (FTA-ABS) test, which uses a fluorescent marker to identify T pallidum antibodies in a blood or spinal fluid sample. However, this process doesn’t differentiate between T pallidum and other strains of bacteria that can affect other diseases and can only be managed successfully during the first 3 to 4 weeks after the appearance to syphilis.

The cure for Syphilis:-
Syphilis can be easily cured by using antibiotics if treated properly during its initial stages. During the beginning stages of syphilis, a single dose of penicillin is effective for treating and curing syphilis. In the later stages, a higher dosage of penicillin is required. The damage to organs such as heart or nervous system damage typical of the third stage of syphilis, cannot be altered. For a year after treatment of syphilis, a schedule of follow up tests is certainly required.

You can now get the syphilis rapid test kit from Head Start Testing - a trusted name in medical test kits. Syphilis testing by the syphilis test kit is very accurate and simple.

Hepatitis B Virus: Causes, Symptoms, and Detection – Head Start Testing

The term Hepatitis refers to the inflammation of the liver. And Hepatitis B is a highly serious viral infection of the liver that belongs to the Hepadnaviridae family of viruses. This is the most common infection which can be passed through direct contact with blood, unprotected sex, use of illegal drugs, or even from mother to child. However, it doesn’t spread through food, water or casual contact. You can protect yourself from this infection by detecting it with a DIY Hepatitis B testing kit.  

The good thing about this disease is that in most cases, it doesn’t last for a long time – your body fights with it and you become immune for the rest of your life – which means you won’t catch it again. But, in some cases, it doesn’t go away and hence results in hardening of the organs. However, people can also get liver cancer. This is what known as chronic.

There are two phases of Hepatitis B – acute and chronic.

Acute Hepatitis B relates to the newly acquired infection which is less than six months old. In the majority of cases, it resolves on its own without creating any serious health problem. But if it lasts for more than six months, than it is chronic. Chronic Hepatitis B increases your risk of developing liver failure, liver cancer or cirrhosis. 

Who is at maximum risk for Hepatitis B:

Due to this major global health problem, around 887 000 people died in 2015. People who are at maximum risk are:

• Men who have sex with other Men
• Healthcare Workers or Professionals
• People with multiple sex partners
• People who use IV drugs
• People with Kidney disease & many more

Symptoms:

It is called silent epidemic because it doesn’t show any symptoms in its starting stage. However, common symptoms include:

• Fatigue – that ensures for weeks or even months
• Jaundice – your skin and whites of eyes turn yellow
• Dark urine
• Belly pain
• Fever
• Joint and Muscle Pain
• Vomiting
• Loss of appetite
• clay-colored stools

How to detect this Infection?

The most effective way to detect this infection is by testing yourself with a Hepatitis B testing kit. There are a number of companies and websites who manufacture STD test kits. But Head Start Testing is one of the most reliable among them. Our DIY test for Hepatitis B helps you detect infection in the comfort of your own home and give accurate results in just 10 minutes. Our test kit is reliable for both Men and Women.

Along with this hep B test kit, we offer a range of STD test kits including Syphilis test kit, Chlamydia test kit, Gonorrhea test kit and much more. All these kits are FDA & WHO approved – assuring you reliability with accuracy. So, if you too are doubtful that you might have caught Hepatitis B, don’t delay & discern it now with our easy-to-use rapid test kit.