Bacterial DNA â a circular chromosome plus plasmids. The DNA of most bacteria is contained in a single circular molecule, called the bacterial chromosome. The chromosome, along with several proteins and RNA molecules, forms an irregularly shaped structure called the nucleoid.
What are the effects? If left untreated, syphilis can eventually cause damage to the brain, nerves, eyes, heart, blood vessels, liver, bones, and joints. In extreme cases it can cause difficulty coordinating muscle movements, paralysis, numbness, gradual blindness, mental illness, and even death. If you have syphilis and are pregnant, it can cause serious birth defects and stillbirth.
Despite the body of knowledge around it, there was a major uptick in syphilis cases during the 2000s, especially among women ages 20 to 24 and men ages 35 to 39 (CDC). If syphilis goes untreated, the affected person is at risk of developing neurosyphilis.