Syphilis, other

Reportable by Laboratories and Providers

About this Reportable Disease

Infectious agent:  Treponema Pallidum

Description of illness:  Syphilis is a systemic bacterial STD that can infect both men and women. Syphilis is spread from person to person during sexual contact and from an infected mother to her child during pregnancy. Syphilis is divided into stages (primary, secondary, latent, and tertiary), and symptoms depend on the stage of infection. Primary syphilis symptoms include a sore that appears at the original site of infection. Secondary syphilis symptoms include a skin rash, swollen lymph nodes, and fever. The latent stage is a period of time when there are no symptoms. Tertiary syphilis is rare, occurs in some individuals with untreated infection, and is associated with severe complications.  Syphilis is treatable with an antibiotic, but the damage that has been done is irreversible. Without treatment, syphilis will progress from one stage to the next and can rarely lead to death. All pregnant women, men who have sex with men, those living with HIV, and anyone with a partner diagnosed with syphilis should be screened.

Interactive Disease Data


Laboratory Reporting for this Disease

Syphilis Screen by RPR

TEST NAME Syphilis Screen by RPR  
DISEASE DISORDER Syphilis  
ALTERNATE NAME(S) Treponema pallidum, RPR  
METHODOLOGY Arlington Scientific, Inc (ASI) Rapid Plasma Reagin (RPR) Card Test For Syphilis (nontreponemal flocculation test, qualitative/semi-quantitative)  
SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS This test is not approved for testing spinal fluids.  
ORDERING INFORMATION

Lab Web Portal

PTBMIS:

Test Order Code:     86592

Test Order Description:     Syphilis Test

  

Specimen Requirements

Patient Preparation
  • Venipuncture
  
Specimen Collection
  • Acceptable specimen types:

-  Whole blood in Red Top Serum Coagulation Tube or Serum Separator Tube (SST)

-  Serum in sterile, plastic, screw-capped vial

  
Specimen Labeling
  • Specimen should be labled with at least two unique patient identifiers and match accompanying test order.
  
Specimen Processing
  • Follow the tube manufacture's processing instructions for collection tubes.
  
Specimen Storage and Preservation
  • Specimens may be stored at 2 - 30°C for up to 72 hours post collection.  
  • Specimens may be stored at 2 - 8°C for up to seven (7) days.
  • If testing will be delayed more than seven (7) days, aliquot serum into a sterile, plastic, screw-capped vial and store at -20°C or colder.
  
Specimen Transportation
  • Ship specimens at 2 - 8°C on cold packs, if possible. Specimens may be shipped at 2-30°C if receipt at laboratory will occur within 72 hours of collection.
  • Specimens should be be placed in a biohazard bag with absorbent material.
  • All infectious substance shipments must conform to U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) Hazardous Materials Regulations (HMR 49 C.F.R. Parts 171-180).
  
Specimen Acceptability and Rejection
  • Grossly hemolyzed, lipemic, or microbially contaminated specimens will be rejected. 
  • If expiration date on collection tube is prior to collection date, specimen will be rejected. 
  • Specimens received after expiration of viability will be rejected. 
  • Unlabeled or improperly identified specimens will be rejected. 
  • Specimens collected in unapproved tube types will be rejected. 
  • Specimens broken in transit will be rejected. 
  • Specimens leaking in transit may be rejected after assessment of viability and contamination. 
  • Specimens with insufficient volumes of serum will be rejected. 
  • Specimens with clerical errors in the lab order or on the specimen tube will be rejected. 
  • Specimens transported or stored at incorrect temperatures will be rejected.
  
Testing Location
  • Nashville
  • Knoxville
  

Laboratory Reporting

Reporting requirements apply to all laboratories located within Tennessee, as well as laboratories outside of Tennessee that test residents of Tennessee, including laboratories located within healthcare facilities. Healthcare providers and laboratories in the same healthcare facility both have a duty to report. The type of organisms and analytes laboratories must report to TDH for 2026 are indicated, and there are several ways laboratories can report results to TDH.

 

Information about this Reportable Disease for Healthcare Providers

Clinical Summary

  • Syphilis is a sexually transmitted infection (STI) caused by the bacterium Treponema pallidum, which progresses through four stages: primary, secondary, latent, and tertiary.
  • The primary stage presents as a painless sore or ulcer at the site of infection, typically genital, anal, or oral.
  • The secondary stage involves skin rashes, mucocutaneous lesions, and systemic symptoms like fever, swollen lymph nodes, sore throat, and fatigue.
  • If untreated, syphilis can progress to the latent stage (no symptoms) and eventually to tertiary syphilis, which may cause severe damage to organs such as the heart, brain, and nerves.
  • Syphilis is treatable with antibiotics, typically benzathine penicillin G, and early detection is crucial to prevent complications.

Healthcare Provider Reporting

Healthcare reporting requirements apply to all providers located within Tennessee, as well as providers whose patients reside in Tennessee.

Providers must report cases of all diseases and conditions listed through one of these methods:

• Mail or fax a completed PH-1600 form to your local health department or fax to the state health office at (615) 741-3857

• Send automatically via electronic case reporting (eCR). See this TDH webpage for more information on eCR, register at the Trader Partner Registration website, or contact MU.Health@tn.gov for assistance.

• Submit online via NBS. NBS is TDH's reportable disease system. To request an NBS account for reporting Complete this user survey to request an NBS account for reporting. 

• Blood lead levels can be sent via fax ( (615) 741-3857), entered online, or reported using the instructions at this link. 

Information about this Reportable Disease for the Public

What It Is

Syphilis is a sexually transmitted infection (STI) caused by the bacterium Treponema pallidum.

It is highly contagious and spreads mainly through sexual contact, including oral, anal, and vaginal sex.

It can also be transmitted from mother to baby during pregnancy (congenital syphilis).

If untreated, the infection can persist for years and cause serious health complications.

Early detection and treatment prevent long-term damage and further transmission. 

Types

Primary syphilis: Characterized by a painless sore (chancre) at the site of infection.

Secondary syphilis: Causes skin rashes, mucous membrane lesions, and systemic symptoms like fever and fatigue.

Latent syphilis: No visible symptoms, but the infection persists in the body and can progress.

Tertiary syphilis: Severe complications affecting the heart, brain, nerves, eyes, or other organs.

Congenital syphilis: Occurs when a pregnant person transmits syphilis to their baby.

Signs and Symptoms

Primary stage: Painless sore (chancre) at infection site, usually genital, anal, or oral.

Secondary stage: Skin rashes (often on palms and soles), mucous patches, fever, swollen lymph nodes, sore throat.

Latent stage: No symptoms but infection remains; can last for years.

Tertiary stage: Severe organ damage, neurological symptoms, cardiovascular complications.

Congenital syphilis: May cause deformities, developmental delays, or stillbirth in infants.

Treatment

Syphilis is curable with antibiotics, primarily benzathine penicillin G.

Early stages respond well to a single intramuscular injection.

Later stages or complicated cases may require multiple doses over time.

Pregnant people and their infants require prompt treatment to prevent congenital syphilis.

Follow-up testing is essential to ensure the infection is fully cleared and to prevent reinfection.

This Page Last Updated: March 25, 2026 at 8:53 PM