On this page
Dr. Chrysoula I. Liakou MD, PhD
- Treated online: Assessment online; testing and penicillin treatment happen in person.
- Syphilis is diagnosed by a blood test and treated with penicillin injections given in person; the online role is assessment, testing direction and follow-up.
- Syphilis often begins as a single painless sore that heals by itself within a few weeks, though the infection remains.
- Early syphilis usually needs a single penicillin injection; late latent infection usually needs three injections at weekly intervals.
- Syphilis is curable at every stage, but earlier treatment prevents the damage later stages cause.
Some situations need urgent in-person care, not an online consultation: new problems with your vision or hearing, a severe headache, confusion or weakness (possible neurosyphilis), or being pregnant with a possible or confirmed syphilis infection, which needs same-day treatment to protect the baby. Seek face-to-face care straight away for any of these, and see the referral criteria below.
Can syphilis be treated online?
Not the treatment itself. Syphilis is treated with penicillin injections and monitored with blood tests, both given in person, so it cannot be cured by an online prescription.[1] What an online doctor can do is assess your symptoms or result, direct you to the correct blood test, and arrange treatment and follow-up. The pathway is test first, then treat in person. Care pathways vary by country.
Mobi Doctor, an online healthcare service with licensed doctors, is deliberately clear about this, because being honest about it is the safe thing to do. Syphilis is entirely curable when treated properly, and getting you quickly to the right test and the right treatment is exactly where a same-day online assessment helps.
Listen: Syphilis Treatment Online
The audio version of this topic from the Mobi Doctor podcast. Open the episode.
How an online consultation helps with syphilis
- A clear, honest pathway: assessment, then the right blood test, then penicillin treatment given in person, then follow-up. No false promise of an online cure, which for syphilis does not exist.
- Testing directed properly: the doctor explains which blood test you need and where to get it, and how to interpret the result, so you are not guessing.
- A confidential first step: talk it through with a doctor by video from home, the same day, with nothing to explain at a reception desk.
- Partner notification and follow-up: who needs to be told and tested, when you can have sex again, and the repeat blood tests that confirm you are cured.
📷 Photos can help: a clear, well-lit close-up of any sore or rash, taken while it is visible, can help the doctor judge whether it fits syphilis or another cause. Photos are optional, you can upload them securely when booking, and the consultation works without them.
What are the symptoms and stages of syphilis?
Syphilis is caused by the bacterium Treponema pallidum and develops in stages, which is why symptoms come and go and are easily missed.[2] Understanding the stages explains why testing, not symptoms, drives the diagnosis:
Primary syphilis
A single, usually painless sore (a chancre) appears where the infection entered, often on the genitals, anus or mouth, typically two to three weeks after exposure. Because it is painless and can be hidden, it is frequently missed, and it heals on its own within a few weeks even without treatment, which does not mean the infection has gone.
Secondary syphilis
Weeks to months later, the bacteria spread and can cause a rash, classically including the palms and soles, along with flu-like illness, swollen glands, patchy hair loss and mouth or genital sores. These symptoms also settle on their own, and the infection then becomes silent.
Latent syphilis
A stage with no symptoms at all, detectable only by blood test. It can last for years. Latent syphilis is still treatable, and treatment at this stage prevents the serious late complications.
Late (tertiary) syphilis
Years later, untreated syphilis can seriously damage the heart, brain and nerves. Neurosyphilis, affecting the brain and nerves, and ocular syphilis, affecting the eyes, can occur at any stage and are medical emergencies. In pregnancy, syphilis can pass to the baby (congenital syphilis) with severe consequences, which is why testing and prompt treatment in pregnancy are so important.[3]
How is syphilis diagnosed?
Syphilis is diagnosed with a blood test, sometimes alongside a swab taken from a sore.[1] The blood test looks for the body's response to the infection, and a reactive result is confirmed with a second type of test. If you have a sore, a swab can detect the bacteria directly. Because it takes time for tests to become reliable, a blood test is usually dependable from about two to four weeks after a sore appears and is confirmed by around twelve weeks, so a very early negative may need repeating.
An online doctor cannot draw your blood, and an honest service says so plainly. What the doctor does is tell you exactly which test to have and where, then review the result with you and arrange treatment. Because syphilis often travels with other infections, testing for HIV and other STIs at the same time is standard advice, and the doctor can point you to wider STI testing.[4]
How is syphilis treated?
Syphilis is treated with penicillin, given as an injection, and the treatment is given in person.[1][5] The specifics depend on the stage:
- Early syphilis (primary, secondary or early latent) is usually treated with a single injection of long-acting penicillin.
- Late latent syphilis, or infection of unknown duration, usually needs three injections given at weekly intervals.
- Neurosyphilis or ocular syphilis needs hospital treatment with intravenous penicillin.
Because penicillin injections and blood tests are given in person, this is the part of care an online doctor arranges rather than delivers. If you are allergic to penicillin, alternatives or a desensitisation process may be needed, which is decided in person. Shortly after the first injection, some people get a brief flu-like reaction (the Jarisch-Herxheimer reaction) as the bacteria are killed; it is expected and settles. After treatment, repeat blood tests over the following months confirm that the infection has cleared, and this follow-up is an essential part of the plan, not an optional extra.
Swipe sideways to compare →
| Presentation | Likely first step | Suitable for online care? | When in-person care is needed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Possible exposure or a sore, no test yet | Blood test, plus a swab of any sore | Online assessment and testing direction | Testing is done at a lab or clinic |
| Positive test, early syphilis | Single penicillin injection[1] | Assessment and referral for treatment | The injection is given in person |
| Late latent or unknown duration | Three weekly penicillin injections | Assessment and referral for treatment | Given in person over three weeks |
| Vision, hearing or neurological symptoms | Urgent hospital assessment; intravenous penicillin | No | Urgent in-person hospital care |
| Pregnant, with suspected or confirmed syphilis | Urgent testing and treatment | No | Urgent maternity and specialist care |
Availability of individual medicines and who may prescribe them vary by country; your doctor confirms what applies where you are.
Not sure which row is you? A doctor can tell you in one consultation.
See available times →What the doctor checks in an online syphilis consultation
The consultation is structured to get you safely to the right test and treatment. The doctor will typically check:
- Your symptoms and their timing: any sore, rash or flu-like illness, and when the exposure you are worried about was.
- Any test result you already have: a reactive blood test changes the consultation from testing to arranging treatment.
- Red-flag symptoms: vision, hearing or neurological changes, which point to urgent hospital care.
- Pregnancy: because syphilis in pregnancy needs urgent treatment to protect the baby.
- Penicillin allergy and other medicines, which affect how and where treatment is given.
- Other STI risk, so testing for HIV and other infections is arranged alongside.
When we assess syphilis online, and when we refer you
We assess online and direct your care: possible symptoms or exposure where you need testing; a positive blood test where you need treatment arranged; questions about results, stages and follow-up; and partner-notification and retesting advice. This is genuinely useful, because it turns an anxious situation into a clear set of steps the same day.
We refer you for in-person care: the penicillin injections and blood tests themselves, which are always given in person; any neurological or eye symptoms, which are emergencies needing hospital treatment; syphilis in pregnancy, which needs urgent maternity and specialist care; and penicillin allergy, where treatment decisions are made in person. Because syphilis treatment is delivered in person, this referral is the centrepiece of the service, not a failure of it. The same test-first approach applies to related infections such as gonorrhoea, and a genital sore can also be genital herpes rather than syphilis, which the doctor helps sort out.
How do I tell my partner about syphilis?
Partner notification is an important part of treating syphilis, because untreated partners can be reinfected or develop serious complications themselves. Recent partners need to be told so they can be tested and treated, and how far back depends on the stage of your infection, which the doctor will help you work out.
It is a factual conversation, not an accusation: partners should test because they may have been exposed, and syphilis is fully curable when caught. Because the infection can be silent for a long time, a diagnosis does not reveal when or from whom it came. Several countries run confidential or anonymous partner-notification services, and the doctor can tell you what is available where you live.
When to get in-person care
Seek urgent in-person care for new problems with your vision or hearing, a severe headache, confusion, weakness or difficulty walking, which can indicate neurosyphilis or ocular syphilis and are emergencies. If you are pregnant with possible or confirmed syphilis, seek same-day care to protect the baby. If you have sudden loss of vision, a severe sudden headache, a seizure, or signs of a serious allergic reaction such as swelling of the face or throat or difficulty breathing, call 112 immediately.
How Mobi Doctor works
- Book a time that suits you: open daily 7am–11pm. Most patients speak to a doctor within about 15 minutes of their booked time. no subscription, exact price up front.
- Speak to a licensed doctor about syphilis: a private video call: you describe what you feel, the doctor asks what matters, and you agree the right plan together.
- Get your plan: the right blood test, treatment arranged in person, and the follow-up bloods that confirm you are cured, or a full refund.
No sign-up needed
Tick what you feel to see every condition page that mentions it. It finds the right page, not a diagnosis: a doctor gives you that on a video call.
Tap the body — an area or a point — to browse symptoms anywhere
Not sure this is the right page? Find your symptom in the symptom navigator, or book and describe it to a doctor.
Frequently asked questions about syphilis
Can syphilis be treated online?
The treatment itself cannot, because syphilis is treated with penicillin injections and monitored with blood tests, both given in person. An online doctor assesses your symptoms or result, directs you to the right test, and arranges treatment and follow-up. The honest pathway is test first, then treatment in person, and prescribing and care pathways vary by country.
How much does a syphilis consultation cost?
The exact price of a video consultation is shown before payment, and there is no subscription. The blood test and treatment are provided in person and paid for separately. If the doctor can’t help you online, you get a full refund and clear directions to the right care.
How quickly can I speak to a doctor?
Appointments are available daily from 7am to 11pm, often within about 15 minutes. That means you can get clear advice on which test you need, or discuss a result, without waiting, and be pointed straight to treatment.
Can I get a syphilis test through Mobi Doctor?
The video consultation does not include a blood test, and an honest service says so. What the doctor does is tell you exactly which blood test you need and where to have it, then review the result with you and arrange treatment and follow-up.
Is syphilis curable?
Yes. Syphilis is completely curable with penicillin, especially when treated early, which is why getting tested and treated promptly matters so much. Later stages are still treatable, but treatment aims to stop further damage rather than reverse harm already done, so earlier is always better.
How is syphilis treated?
With penicillin, given as an injection in person. Early syphilis usually needs a single injection; late latent infection usually needs three weekly injections; and neurosyphilis needs intravenous treatment in hospital. Repeat blood tests afterwards confirm the infection has cleared.
Do I need to tell my partner?
Yes. Recent partners must be told so they can be tested and treated, and how far back to go depends on the stage of your infection. The doctor helps you work this out, and many countries offer confidential or anonymous notification services that do not name you.
- European guideline on the management of syphilis, IUSTI Europe (International Union against Sexually Transmitted Infections), 2020.
- Syphilis fact sheet, World Health Organization (WHO), 2024.
- Syphilis: facts and guidance, European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC), 2024.
- Sexually transmitted infections (STIs): fact sheet, WHO, World Health Organization, 2025.
- WHO guidelines for the treatment of Treponema pallidum (syphilis), WHO, World Health Organization, 2016.
This page is for information only and is not a substitute for a medical consultation. Guideline links are provided for transparency; treatment decisions are made with your doctor.
Related conditions
From the Mobi Doctor blog
SCARY NEWS ABOUT SYPHILIS
SCARY NEWS ABOUT SYPHILIS
Read article → Health and WellbeingFrom Low Libido To High Passion: The Role Of TRT In Men’s Sexual Health
How Does TRT Improve Men’s Sexual Health? Testosterone Replacement Therapy (TRT) restores low testosterone levels...
Read article → Health and WellbeingWhat Is the Best Travel Insurance for Europe?
There is no single best travel insurance policy for Europe. The right policy depends on your destination, trip length, m...
Read article →Speak to a doctor about syphilis today
Licensed doctors · open daily 7am–11pm CEST · exact price before payment
See available times →