Treponema pallidum gives no warning. If syphilis progresses untreated to the tertiary stage, the bacterium eventually leaves the soft tissues and begins to destroy bone.This destruction is known medically as syphilitic gummas and caries sicca.
Gummas are destructive lesions that form in bone, leading to progressive necrosis. On imaging or under the microscope, the affected skull often shows multiple perforations, giving it a characteristic “moth-eaten” appearance.
These are literal holes in the cranial bone. Once the bony barrier is breached, the infection can spread to the central nervous system, resulting in neurosyphilis. This serious complication can cause cognitive decline, paralysis, and other neurological damage.What makes this especially troubling is that the entire progression is preventable.
A full course of penicillin administered in the early stages completely halts the disease. Syphilis is a treatable infection. The danger lies in its early symptoms, which often disappear on their own, leading many people to mistakenly believe the problem has resolved itself.
