Alternatives To Penicillin Essay

Prior to 1932 information concerning the origin, conception, development, and the complications of untreated syphilis was known to medical science. The one element left to be known about this disease was a cure. By this time, scientist were well aware of the fact that syphilis was a highly contagious disease caused by treponema pallidum, a microscopic organism resembling a corkscrew. The disease may be acquired, meaning passed from person-to-person either during sexual intercourse or mixing of bodily fluids, or congenital meaning obtained through birth. The disease progresses in three stages: primary, secondary, and tertiary. The

Syphilis is spread through contact with a syphilis sore (Syphilis). It has a wide range of side effects, and if left untreated can turn into a serious problem. There are several tests for syphilis, including blood, tissue, and fluid (from syphilis sores) tests. The rapid plasma regain test (RPR test), for example, tests blood or spinal fluid for syphilis antibodies (or T Pallidum antibodies), but because these antibodies are nonspecific to syphilis, this can result in a false positive. The enzyme immunoassay (EIA) test is the second test used to confirm syphilis in someone who tested positive in the RPR test. It also tests for syphilis antibodies. Its treatment has evolved a lot. In the 1940s, it was treated primarily by penicillin, which is most likely what Henrietta Lacks would have used to be treated for this disease if she got proper treatment (Progress). Now, a variety of antibiotics are used to treat syphilis, including penicillin. The dosage is small in the early stages but increased later. Harm done in the third stage cannot be reversed though

However, it was more difficult to test all the subjects than expected. SInce they didn’t want to be suspected of their experiment they had to open the selection to anyone with syphilis. It was also difficult to get the participant to enlist so they had to offer free care and therapy, which led to more participants. When they enlisted they were told they had “bad blood” and were being treated for it. Since they weren’t really be treated the doctors had to come up with a way so that it seemed like they were being treated. They would give most of the subjects mercurial ointment and the rest a small dosage of neoarsphenamine. The last step of their experiment was to give the subjects “a spinal tap to test for evidence of neuro-syphilis.” Throughout the 40 years, the USPHS told many of local doctors and the Army to not treat those patients. They were told to prefer those patients back to the USPHS if they did visit them. In the 1950s, some subjects were given penicillin, but only a few were given an effective doses. Those who were given antibiotics had threatened the experiment, which later ended in 1970s. The last main point of the article is the HEW final report. There was a panel by the HEW that discusses the two issues, which were the informed consent from the subject and also should they have provided penicillin to the subjects. In the final report, it was found that by the HEW that the USPHS didn’t have the intentions of providing penicillin

The men were never given adequate treatment for their disease. Even when penicillin became the drug of choice for syphilis in 1947

.The study consisted of a total of “ 600 African- American men; 399 that were previously identified with having syphilis and 201 were uninfected” (“USPHS Syphilis Study” 1). Throughout the entire study the men were never told that they had syphilis, only told that have a condition known as “bad blood”.

(Tuskegee University) Out of the 600 African American men, the United States Public Health Service refused to treat 399 of the men who were diagnosed with syphilis with late stage. From these men, “perhaps more than 100 had died directly from advanced syphilitics lessons.” (Brandt) From the Tuskegee University, it’s stated that the doctors and researches used the excuse of bad blood in order to get men participating.

First option for treatment includes a drug by the name of Metronidazole 500 mg, also referred to as Flagyl or Protostat. The listed medications are all forms of an antibiotic. Treatment consists of one of the following, taking 2g of Metronidazole (4 tabs) as a single oral dose, taking 250 mg of Metronidazole orally 3 times a day for seven days or 500 mg of Metronidazole twice a day for 7 days. Since this is an antibiotic alcohol should be avoided and be acknowledged that antibiotic decrease the effectiveness of birth control. An additional treatment of Trichomoniasis can also be Clotrimazole which is 1 tablet inserted vaginally at bedtime for 7 days. During pregnancy, the suggested treatment changes such as Metronidazole can be taken only after the first trimester to ensure no harm is done to the unborn baby. During this time of treatment, the infected partner should also be treated as well so that the disease does not transfer back and forth between hosts. There is also a 1 in 5 chance of a person become infected again so it is important to visit with your doctor again in symptoms persist or come back after

Diagnosis has shown us that the first stages of syphilis necessitate on the mouth, rectum, or on the genitals which causes a painless sore. The second stage is distinguished by a rash. Time goes by to where more symptoms can occur from weeks, to months, to years in result of damage to the brain, nerves, eyes or heart. Common symptoms such as fatigue, itching, mouth ulcer, rash on the palms and soles, sore throat, swollen lymph nodes, weight loss, or rectal lining inflammation can occur in or on the human body. The latent stage doesn’t really show any symptoms that are noticeable but you are still infected and there is a possibility that the second stage could reoccur again. In the final stage which is tertiary, a small percentage of people who don’t seek treatment will fall into this stage which can also be life threatening. Blindness, deafness, mental illness, memory loss, damage of the soft tissue and bone, stokes or meningitis, heart disease and neuro-syphilis which is an infection of the spinal cord or the brain can all be in effect of the tertiary

For both men and ladies, your doctor must do a check and a research center test to analyze trichomoniasis. Trichomoniasis can be cured with a solitary measurement of remedy anti-toxin drug (either metronidazole or tinidazole), pills which can be taken by mouth. It is alright for pregnant ladies to take this drug. A few individuals who drink liquor within of 24 hours subsequent to taking this sort of anti-infection can have uncomfortable reactions. Individuals who have been treated with for trichomoniasis can end up getting is again. Around 1 in 5 individuals become infected again inside of 3 months after treatment. To prevent from getting reinfected, verify that your sex partner(s) get treated as well, and wait to have intercourse again until all symptoms go away (around a week). Get checked again if your side effects

Syphilis is an extremely contagious disease spread predominantly by sexual activity. Infrequently, the disease can be passed to another person

Patient with secondary syphilis experience a rosy "copper penny" rash typically on the palms of the hands and soles of the feet. However, rashes with a different appearance may occur on other parts of the body. They may also experience moist warts in the groin, white patches on the inside of the mouth, swollen lymph glands, fever, and weight loss. Like primary syphilis, secondary syphilis will resolve without treatment. The next stage is the latent syphilis; this is when the infection lies dormant or inactive without causing symptoms. Finally, the tertiary syphilis stage, if the infection is not treated, it may progress to a stage characterized by severe problems with the heart, brain, and nerves that can result in paralysis, blindness, dementia, deafness, impotence, and even death if it is not treated (Clement, Lance, & Hicks,

Syphilis affects the body in four stages: primary, secondary, latent, and tertiary. The first stage, the primary stage, begins to show symptoms approximately 3 weeks after contraction (“STD Facts-Syphilis” 2010). The first stage is marked by the appearance of a chancre sore, which usually appears at the sight of contraction of the bacteria. A chancre is a “small, hard, circular lesion” and this is where the bacteria grows and is highly contagious (Shmaefsky, Brian 2009). After about 3 weeks of the presence of the chancre sores, the sores go away, however, syphilis is still present in the body. Several weeks later, approximately 3-6 weeks, the secondary stage of syphilis begins to show, the skin rash. Characteristics of the rash include “rough, red, or reddish brown spots both on the palms of the hands and the bottoms of the feet”, also it can spread to other parts of the body (“STD Facts-Syphilis” 2010). The symptoms of secondary syphilis will go away in a few weeks, but without proper treatment, the disease will continue to advance. The next stage of syphilis is the latent stage, or the “hidden” stage, this stage happens after the primary and secondary stage of syphilis. Without

by Dr. Alexander Fleming. As test continued, Fleming began to realize that he was on the verge of a great discovery. However, he still did not know the identity of the fungus, and had little knowledge of fungi. His crude extracts could be diluted 1,000 times and still be effective in killing bacteria. After years of working on penicillin and going nowhere, many of his co-workers grew tired of hearing about it. The first real test for penicillin came when a 48-year-old police officer nicked himself shaving. After a time, Alexander's face became infected and he developed a temperature. When he was rushed to the hospital, the doctors believed that he had only hours

To have a test done to check for the presence of syphilis, you must see a physician who then swabs the ulcer or sore and sends it off to the lab where it is then checked for the infection. A simple blood test can also detect the infection as well if you don’t have any current signs.

Syphilis is one of the oldest sexually transmitted diseases in the world. The first recording of Syphilis was in Europe in 1495, but there is believed to be earlier cases that weren’t recognized. “The transatlantic origin of syphilis is still controversial as there was evidence of an endemic syphilis in Asia Minor before 1492” (JG, 1990) . There has not been a definitive origin for this disease and there were several different hypotheses on how it came to the United States. There have been 2 main theories proposed. The first was the New World or Columbian theory and the Old World or pre-Columbian theory. The first theory holds that the syphilis endemic started in the part of the world now known as Haiti and was then acquired and carried to Europe by Columbus in the 1400s. The second theory, pre-Columbian theory implies that syphilis began in central Africa and was brought to Europe prior to the voyage by Columbus. Recent studies have shown genetic differences between these organisms. Regardless of where the beginning of syphilis started, by 1495 a widespread syphilis epidemic had spread throughout Europe, and then on to India in 1498 and China in 1505. Since its discovery in Europe there have been many speculations that many famous ranging from political figures, musicians and some literary greats may have had syphilis. Some of those were Adolf Hitler, Ivan the Terrible, Henry VIII, Shakespeare, Napoleon, Abraham Lincoln, Lenin (Vladimir Ulyanov), Friedrich Nietzsche,