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Syphilis

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Sexually Transmitted Diseases

Part of the book series: Current Clinical Practice ((CCP))

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Abstract

Syphilis has been the defining sexually transmitted disease in the history of western Europe and the Americas since the late 1490s. Fear of syphilis motivated the development and use of male condoms more than fear of pregnancy. Syphilis was a particularly horrifying infection that periodically recurred in its victims with increasingly devastating manifestations overtime. In the early 20th century, syphilis was still a major health problem. More than one in five patients in US mental institutions in the 1920s had tertiary syphilis (general paresis) (1). In 1937, the US Surgeon General predicted that 10% of Americans would be infected with syphilis during their lives (2).

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas, Dallas, TX

    Carolyn Sutton RN, MS, WHNP, RNC, FAANP (Faculty Associate, Associate Director of Clinical Services)

  2. Division of Community Women’s Health Care, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas, Dallas, TX

    Carolyn Sutton RN, MS, WHNP, RNC, FAANP (Faculty Associate, Associate Director of Clinical Services)

Authors
  1. Carolyn Sutton RN, MS, WHNP, RNC, FAANP
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Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Harbor/UCLA Medical Center, Torrance, CA

    Anita L. Nelson MD

  2. Health Care Partners, Redondo Beach, CA

    JoAnn Woodward RNC, BSN, NP

  3. Harbor/UCLA Nurse Practitioner Program, Torrance, CA

    JoAnn Woodward RNC, BSN, NP

  4. National Association of Nurse Practitioners in Women’s Health, Washington, DC

    Susan Wysocki RNC, NP, FAANP (President and CEO) (President and CEO)

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© 2006 Humana Press Inc.,Totowa NJ

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Sutton, C. (2006). Syphilis. In: Nelson, A.L., Woodward, J., Wysocki, S. (eds) Sexually Transmitted Diseases. Current Clinical Practice. Humana Press, Totowa, NJ. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-59745-040-9_9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-59745-040-9_9

  • Publisher Name: Humana Press, Totowa, NJ

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-58829-570-5

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-59745-040-9

  • eBook Packages: MedicineMedicine (R0)

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