What occurs with secondary syphilis?
- Mucocutaneous lesions: Generalized rash, often maculopapular or resembling guttate psoriasis; highly contagious. Lesions also occur on mucous membranes (mouth, pharynx, larynx, vagina).
- Constitutional symptoms: Fever, malaise, anorexia, rash.
- Lymphadenopathy: Generalized, but most noticeable in the epitrochlear, axillary, inguinal regions.
- Lesions are infectious/communicable.
- Spirochetes are found in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) in 10% of patients.
- If untreated, secondary syphilis resolves spontaneously within 4–8 weeks, after which the disease enters the latent phase.
- Patients may experience recurrences of symptoms (relapses) during early stages of the disease in 25% of cases.