Syphilology, which is the study of syphilis, has a number of synonyms. One of these is venereology, which refers to the study of sexually transmitted diseases in general, and is related to the Latin word for Venus, the goddess of love. Another synonym is luesology, which specifically refers to the study of syphilis. A third synonym is treponematology, which is the study of the bacteria that causes syphilis, Treponema pallidum. Other terms that are sometimes used interchangeably with syphilology include sexually transmitted infection (STI) research or STI epidemiology. Regardless of the term used, the study of syphilis is an important field of medical research, given the disease's prevalence, its varied symptoms, and its potential for serious long-term health issues.