Editing Syphilis (section)

===Latent===
Latent syphilis is defined as having [[serology|serologic]] proof of infection without symptoms of disease.<ref name=RedBookSyphilis/> It develops after secondary syphilis and is divided into early latent and late latent stages.<ref name="O'Byrne"/> Early latent syphilis is defined by the [[World Health Organization]] as less than 2 years after original infection.<ref name="O'Byrne">{{cite journal |last1=O'Byrne |first1=Patrick |last2=MacPherson |first2=Paul |title=Syphilis |journal=BMJ |date=28 June 2019 |volume=365 |pages=l4159 |doi=10.1136/bmj.l4159|pmid=31253629 |pmc=6598465 }}</ref> Early latent syphilis is infectious as up to 25% of people can develop a recurrent secondary infection (during which bacteria are actively replicating and are infectious).<ref name="O'Byrne" /> Two years after the original infection the person will enter late latent syphilis and is not as infectious as in the early phase.<ref name=Eye07/><ref>{{cite web |title=Ward 86 Practice Recommendations: Syphilis |url=http://hivinsite.ucsf.edu/InSite?page=md-ward86-syphilis |website=hivinsite.ucsf.edu |access-date=29 July 2019 |archive-date=29 April 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190429161518/http://hivinsite.ucsf.edu/InSite?page=md-ward86-syphilis |url-status=dead }}</ref> The latent phase of syphilis can last many years after which, without treatment, approximately 15–40% of people can develop tertiary syphilis.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Peeling |first1=Rosanna W. |last2=Mabey |first2=David |last3=Kamb |first3=Mary L. |last4=Chen |first4=Xiang-Sheng |last5=Radolf |first5=Justin D. |last6=Benzaken |first6=Adele S. |title=Syphilis |journal=Nature Reviews Disease Primers |date=12 October 2017 |volume=3 |issue=1 |pages=17073 |doi=10.1038/nrdp.2017.73|pmid=29022569 |pmc=5809176 }}</ref>