Many people who present with secondary syphilis (40–85% of women, 20–65% of men) do not report previously having had the classical chancre of primary syphilis.
Mange personer, der får konstateret sekundær syphilis (40–85 % af kvinder, 20–65 % af mænd) angiver, at de ikke har haft den chanker, der typisk ses i forbindelse med primær syphilis.