Q. Can you get syphilis from kissing, or even deep (tongue) kissing? If a man wears a condom for either oral sex or intercourse, are the risks still high for getting it? If someone has syphilis but is asymptomatic, can you still get it? Finally, what is the latest one can wait for treatment if it is treatable at all?
A. A person with infectious syphilis should not engage in sexual activity-even with a condom-until they are completely cured.
Syphilis is caused by a bacteria, called treponema pallidum, that is transmitted when it comes in contact with intact mucous membranes or breaks in the skin. Shortly after infection, the syphilis bacteria spreads throughout the body. Syphilis is most often transmitted during sexual activity but can also infect a fetus in the uterus. It can be transmitted only during the first few years after a person has been infected.