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secondary syphilis
noun
: the second stage of syphilis that appears from 2 to 6 months after primary infection, that is marked by lesions especially in the skin but also in organs and tissues, and that lasts from 3 to 12 weeks compare tertiary syphilis
Examples of secondary syphilis in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Rates of primary and secondary syphilis rose by 7 percent from 2019 to 2020; gonorrhea cases rose by 10 percent in the same time period.
—New York Times, 14 Apr. 2022
More than 3 in 10 cases of chlamydia, gonorrhea, and primary and secondary syphilis were in non-Hispanic Black people, disparities that the report authors said were probably tied to access.
—Virginia Langmaid, CNN, 12 Apr. 2022
Reports of gonorrhea increased by 10% in 2020 while those of primary and secondary syphilis saw a 7% increase, compared to the year prior, according to the CDC.
—al, 12 Apr. 2022
As cases rose, the CDC modified its goals in 2006 from 0.4 primary and secondary syphilis cases per 100,000 in population to 2.2 cases per 100,000.
—Talia Herman, ProPublica, 1 Nov. 2021
Primary and secondary syphilis rates (the most infectious stages of the STD) actually increased by about 11% between 2018 and 2019, according to CDC data9.
—Zahra Barnes, SELF, 12 Oct. 2021
For primary and secondary syphilis, cases were highest among adults ages 25 to 29.
—Jacqueline Howard, CNN, 8 Oct. 2019
Cases of primary and secondary syphilis — the two most infectious stages — rose 14 percent since 2017, with more than 35,000 cases.
—Brian Pascus, CBS News, 9 Oct. 2019
The rate of reported primary and secondary syphilis cases in DC was 40.2 cases per 100,000.
—Jacqueline Howard, CNN, 8 Oct. 2019
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Word History
First Known Use
1861, in the meaning defined above
Time Traveler
The first known use of secondary syphilis was
in 1861
Dictionary Entries Near secondary syphilis
Cite this Entry
“Secondary syphilis.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/secondary%20syphilis. Accessed 23 Dec. 2024.
Medical Definition
secondary syphilis
noun
: the second stage of syphilis that appears from 2 to 6 months after primary infection, that is marked by lesions especially in the skin but also in organs and tissues, and that lasts from 3 to 12 weeks
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