IUSTI: 2008 European Guidelines on the Management of Syphilis

Syphilis is classified as acquired or congenital. Acquired syphilis is divided into earlyand late-syphilis. Early syphilis: primary, secondary and early latent infection. The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) defines early syphilis as syphilis acquired ,1 year previously and the World Health Organization (WHO) defines early syphilis as syphilis acquired ,2 years previously. Late syphilis: late latent and tertiary syphilis (gummatous, cardiovascular and neurosyphilis). The ECDC defines late syphilis as syphilis acquired .1 year previously, the WHO as syphilis acquired .2 years previously. Congenital syphilis is divided into early (first 2 years of life) and late, including stigmata of congenital syphilis. This guideline is an update of the European IUSTI Syphilis Guideline 2001. Six scientific background articles linked with this update are also available.