I-Syphilis yisifo ukuthi, ngaphambi kokuqala kwekhulu lama-20, kwaba esinye sezimbangela eziyinhloko zokufa kwabantu. Ekhululwa ngo-1493 ngabasolwandle baseColumbus (ngokusho kwemibiko ethile, bathola ukutheleleka kubantu base-Haiti abomdabu), isifo sofuba sisakazeka emhlabeni wonke. Eminyakeni eyishumi kamuva, i-syphilis yabulala izimpilo zabantu abayizigidi eziyisihlanu. Ngokusabalalisa ngokocansi, i-syphilis inqothule yonke imingcele nemingcele yemvelo, futhi ngo-1512 isifo sokuqala sesi sifo sase sichaziwe kakade eJapane.
Izizathu zokuthi izinga eliphezulu lokusabalala kwezifo ezibangelwa yizifo ziyizi:
- Indlela yokubeletha yokudluliselwa kwe-agent causative yesifo. Ngesikhathi esifanayo, zonke izithiyo zekilasi, zenkolo, zezwe kanye nezinhlanga zanqotshwa.
- Ukutholakala kokutheleleka okuqondile - ukudluliselwa kwesifo kusuka kumama kuya kwengane.
- Iguquguquke isikhathi eside futhi eguquguqukayo ngokweqile lokunciphisa isikhathi se-syphilis.
Isikhathi se-syphilis esalandela
Isikhathi lapho kungekho khona ukubonakaliswa okubonakalayo kwesifo, kuyisiko ukukhetha njengesikhathi sokutshala. Ayikho ulwazi oluthembekile mayelana nesikhathi esilandelayo ukutheleleka kubonakala ukuphikisana. Isikhathi esingenakuqhathaniswa sosiphilisi singanikeza ukuhlukahluka kwenkambo kusuka ngesonto kuya ezinyangeni ezimbili. Ukungabikho kwezibonakaliso zesifo sokungena komzimba kunomthelela ekwenzeni ukuthi umuntu oye wagula isikhathi eside akabonisi udokotela futhi uyaqhubeka nokuthelela abalingani bakhe bobulili.
Lesi simo senza izinkinga ezinkulu zokwelashwa nokuvimbela ukusakazeka kwesifo:
- ungabona isifo sofuba, kepha awukwazi ukunquma ukuthi zingaki izinsuku emva kokutheleleka kwenzekile;
- kungenakwenzeka kokusungula, emva kwesikhathi esilandelayo ngemva komzuzwana we-syphilis yokuxhumana ngocansi, kwenza kube nzima ukucacisa umthombo wokutheleleka;
- ngexhumano oluphathekayo, akunakwenzeka ukucacisa ukuthi zingaki izinhlanzi ezibonakalayo ngokungazelelwe zibonakalise ukuphikisana, ukuthola umthombo oyinhloko.