From the Guidelines

Syphilis is a sexually transmitted disease that can cause serious health problems if left untreated.

Syphilis can be detected using screening tests such as the Venereal Disease Research Laboratory (VDRL) test or the rapid plasma reagin (RPR) test, followed by a confirmatory fluorescent treponemal antibody absorbed test or Treponema pallidum particle agglutination (TPPA) test 1.
The disease can be effectively treated with benzathine penicillin G, with the dosage and duration of treatment depending on the stage of the disease 1.
Early detection and treatment are crucial to prevent complications, such as stillbirth, neonatal death, bone deformities, and neurologic impairment 1.
Certain populations, including pregnant women, uninsured women, sex workers, and illicit drug users, are at increased risk for syphilis infection 1.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has outlined guidelines for the treatment of syphilis, including the use of long-acting preparations of penicillin 1.
Syphilis elimination has been defined as the absence of sustained transmission in the United States, and efforts are being made to reduce the incidence of the disease, particularly in high-risk populations 1.

From the Research

Syphilis is a chronic, multi-stage infectious disease that is usually transmitted sexually by contact with an active lesion of a partner or congenitally from an infected pregnant woman to her fetus 2, 3, 4, 5, 6
The disease is caused by the spirochete Treponema pallidum, which can infect nearly every organ system 3, 4, 5, 6

The clinical progression of syphilis involves several well-characterized stages: an incubation period, a primary stage, a secondary stage, a latent stage, and a late or tertiary stage 3, 5
The primary stage is defined by a chancre at the site of inoculation, while the secondary stage is characterized by a polymorphic rash, lymphadenopathy, and other systemic manifestations 3, 5
The tertiary stage is the most destructive and is marked by cardiovascular and neurologic sequelae and gummatous involvement of any organ system 5

Penicillin is highly effective against syphilis and remains the treatment of choice, with penicillin G being the first-line drug for all stages of syphilis 2, 3, 4, 5
The emergence of clinically significant azithromycin resistance in Treponema pallidum subsp. pallidum has resulted in treatment failures, thus precluding the routine use of this second-line drug 2
Control of syphilis is mainly dependent on the identification and treatment of infected individuals and their contacts, as there is no vaccine to prevent syphilis 2, 3, 4