Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner (SANE) A Practice Exam

What defines latent syphilis?

1. Presence of a painful chancre

2. Absence of clinical manifestations

3. Manifestations of gummatous syphilis

4. Severe neurological symptoms

The correct answer is: Absence of clinical manifestations

Latent syphilis is characterized specifically by the absence of clinical manifestations, which distinguishes it from other stages of the infection. In this stage, the individual has been infected with the Treponema pallidum bacteria, but they do not exhibit any symptoms or signs of the disease. This lack of symptoms is crucial as it signifies that the infection is not actively causing observable health issues, yet it remains in the body and can potentially progress if left untreated. The other stages of syphilis, such as primary and secondary syphilis, are marked by clinical symptoms such as sores or rashes, which is why the presence of a painful chancre would not apply during the latent phase. Moreover, gummatous syphilis represents a later complication and is also not indicative of the latent stage, where the symptoms are absent. Severe neurological symptoms would suggest tertiary syphilis, thereby further confirming that latent syphilis must be defined by the lack of clinical manifestations.