IMPORTANT

PLEASE NOTE

WE ARE NOW ONLY OFFERING HOME TESTING KITS FOR HIV AND SYPHILIS TO PEOPLE THAT LIVE IN THE TAMESIDE AND GLOSSOP AREA

Any kits requested from outside this area will not be sent.

If you need a HIV and Syphilis test please request one, if you are not successful please ring our confidential telephone line to discuss your options for testing.

What is Syphillis?

Syphilis is a bacterial sexually transmitted infection.

Testing through RUClear for HIV automatically tests for syphilis.

Syphilis Symptoms

The symptoms of syphilis are the same for men and women and can be difficult to recognise.

10 days to 3 months after being infected the most common symptom is the appearance of a small, painless sore or ulcer (called a chancre) which can pass on syphilis to people that come into contact with it. The sore will usually appear in the area where the infection was caught such as the penis, vagina, anus, rectum, tongue or lips. Some people only have one sore, but some have more.

The sore will then disappear within two to six weeks and within a few weeks other symptoms develop such as:

A non-itchy rash appearing anywhere on the body which can pass on syphilis to people that come into contact with it.
Tiredness
Headaches
Swollen glands
Fever
Weight loss
Hair loss
Joint pains

These symptoms may go within a few weeks or come and go over a period of months. After this time syphilis will then become symptomless.

If syphilis is left untreated it can lead to tertiary syphilis which can cause serious health problems and can affect the brain, nerves, eyes, heart, bones, skin or blood vessels potentially causing:

Stroke
Dementia
Paralysis
Blindness
Deafness
Heart disease

What is the Treatment?

Treatment for syphilis is usually a course of antibiotics.

If your test is positive for syphilis you will be asked to attend a sexual health clinic where you will have another test to check whether the syphilis is an old or new infection.

RUClear is run by the NHS, the tests are of a high quality and are FREE

Call 0800 0461303: (Confidential Advice Line)