Syphilis is a bacterial infection that is contracted through sexual contact. The infection develops in stages, and the symptoms for each stage may vary & occur in no specific order
The initial infection (primary stage) starts out as sores around the genitals, mouth, or rectum. These symptoms are quite difficult to detect by the patient themselves as they are often painless and can develop inside the vagina or rectum. Without testing, people can be infected with syphilis and not even be aware of it for years
After the primary stage, the infection will proceed to its secondary stage. During this stage patients may experience rashes on various parts of their body, wart-like sores in their mouths or genital regions
If left untreated, the infection can develop into the latent stage. During this phase the infection will lie dormant in the body with no symptoms and may potentially develop into the tertiary stage, which can result in serious neurological complications. The famous composer & pianist Beethoven suffered deafness as a result of a syphilis infection
Syphilis is treated with penicillin injections 
A patient receiving a penicillin shot for syphilis
If you are exhibiting these symptoms or believe that you may be infected with syphilis, treatment is necessary. Diagnosis involves blood tests and if detected early a single injection of penicillin should cure it
Using condoms could reduce the risks. However, if the condoms do not cover the syphilis sores then the infection may spread as well