Tertiary syphilis of the face

Challenges in the Diagnosis of Tertiary Syphilis: Case Report with Literature Review

Tertiary syphilis is a large diagnostic challenge. It is rarely the case that it affects the skin, bone tissue and the eyes at the same time. The presented case shows that extensive symptomatology of syphilis poses a challenge in making a proper diagnosis in patients whose history does not suspect STDs. The study aims to present the case of a young woman hospitalized with a suspected autoimmune disease, diagnosed with symptomatic late syphilis with involvement of the skin, bones and eyes.

Sexually acquired syphilis: Historical aspects, microbiology, epidemiology, and clinical manifestations

Syphilis is caused by infection with the spirochetal bacterium Treponema pallidum subsp. pallidum. It was first recognized in the late 15th century. Since 2000, the incidence of sexually acquired syphilis has increased substantially in the developed world, with men who have sex with men and persons living with HIV infection disproportionately affected. Clinical manifestations of syphilis are protean and often include mucocutaneous manifestations. The first article in this continuing medical education series reviews historical aspects, microbiology, epidemiology, and clinical manifestations of sexually acquired syphilis.

Sexually acquired syphilis: Laboratory diagnosis, management, and prevention

The methods used for the laboratory diagnosis of syphilis include direct detection of Treponema pallidum subspecies pallidum and serologic testing. Serologic testing relies on both nontreponemal and treponemal tests. In newly developed reverse-sequence screening algorithms, treponemal tests are performed before nontreponemal tests. The management of syphilis requires appropriate staging, treatment, and follow-up of patients along with the prompt reporting of infections to public health authorities to assist with prevention and control efforts. Benzathine penicillin G remains the treatment of choice for all stages of syphilis. Screening of populations at higher risk for syphilis is recommended by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the US Preventive Services Task Force, and the World Health Organization. The second article in this continuing medical education series reviews the testing for and the management of sexually acquired syphilis.

Nodular tertiary syphilis in an immunocompetent patient

Acquired syphilis can be divided into primary, secondary, latent, and tertiary stages. About 25% of patients with untreated primary syphilis will develop late signs that generally occur after three to five years, with involvement of several organs. The authors present an immunocompetent female who developed a tertiary stage syphilis presenting with long-standing nodular plaques.

Late Neurosyphilis and Tertiary Syphilis in Guangdong Province, China: Results from a Cross-sectional Study

Due to challenges in diagnosis and the need for complex laboratory tests, misdiagnosis of neurosyphilis and tertiary syphilis is common in China. We validated the diagnosis and examined the treatment of late neurosyphilis and tertiary syphilis in Guangdong Province, China. A cross-sectional study was conducted to collect data from late neurosyphilis and tertiary syphilis cases reported between 2009 and 2014 in Guangdong, China. Descriptive analysis, bivariate analyses and multiple logistic regressions were performed to determine the structural factors associated with correct diagnosis and standard treatment of late neurosyphilis and tertiary syphilis. Among the 3805 respondents (3805/3936, 96.7%), 1,837 (48.3%) met the misdiagnosed criteria. The misdiagnosis rate decreased over the study period (54.2% in 2009 and 41.8% in 2014). Only 27.1% and 24.9% of the correctly diagnosed late neurosyphilis and tertiary syphilis cases received standard treatment, respectively. Multiple logistic regression revealed that departments of dermatology or STDs [aOR = 3.24, 95% CI: 2.66-3.95], county or township level hospitals [aOR = 2.89, 95% CI: 2.14-3.89], and hospitals situated outside of Pearl River Delta area [aOR = 1.70, 95% CI: 1.46-1.97] had higher likelihood in misdiagnosis of neurosyphilis, compared to the reference groups. Targeted trainings for physicians and expanded syphilis screening services are urgently needed.

A case of tertiary syphilis manifested with multiple skin gummas

The tertiary cutaneous syphilis has become extremely rare as a result of the effective treatment of early syphilis with penicillin and occasional antibiotic therapy for concomitant infections. We report a case of tertiary gummatous syphilis associated with asymptomatic neurosyphilis that was initially misdiagnosed as basal cell carcinoma of the skin. A 67-year-old woman presented with the 18-month history of multiple, firm, bluish-red asymptomatic nodes on the parietal scalp, chin and lateral part of the trunk that had developed without preceding trauma. One node on the trunk had small central ulceration covered with dry yellowish crust. On the left retroauricular area the brownish-purple atrophic scar was observed. Blood tests revealed reactive VDRL, ELISA and TPHA assays. Skin biopsy has showed endarteritis with endothelial swelling and caseating granulomas along with plasmocytic infiltrate in the dermis and subcutaneous tissue. Increased lymphocyte count and the positive VDRL test with cerebrospinal fluid have confirmed the diagnosis of asymptomatic syphilitic meningitis in this patient. The treatment with aqueous penicillin intravenously has lead to resolution of the skin infiltrates and progressive more than 4-fold reduction of follow-up serum VDRL titers. This case is reported as a reminder of the possibility of tertiary syphilis with misleading clinical patterns in patients infected during the epidemics of 1995-2000. We would like to emphasize the necessity to perform timely serological and pathomorphological study to prevent misdiagnosis and mistreatment.

Asymptomatic syphilitic massive necrosis of the spleen in late syphilis

The varieties of luetic clinical variants are countless in nature. In this regard, an autopsy case of a 72-year-old homeless man who accidentally succumbed to carbon-monoxide poisoning is here presented and reviewed. The autopsy revealed the highly unusual finding of asymptomatic syphilitic necrosis of spleen followed by luetic mesaortitis, a solitary skin gumma, and syphilitic arthritis. The spleen was 8×4×3 cm in size; the capsule was completely calcified and firm, 3 to 5 mm thick. Only in the region of the hilus was a small part of preserved tissue found. After puncturing the capsule, a brown-yellowish pus-like mass was found which filled the entire space inside. When reviewing the relevant literature, this case and its finding of pan splenic necrosis accompanied by a calcified capsule seem to be unique in nature. In terms of the final diagnosis, a Treponema pallidum haemagglutination assay confirmed it to be syphilis. Since it was a late stage of the disease, it is estimated that it may have been present for more than 20 or 30 years in the deceased.

The immunopathobiology of syphilis: the manifestations and course of syphilis are determined by the level of delayed-type hypersensitivity

Syphilis has plagued mankind for centuries and is currently resurgent in the Western hemisphere. Although there has been a significant reduction of tertiary disease and recognition of facilitative interactions with human immunodeficiency virus infection, the natural history of syphilis has remained largely unchanged; thus, new strategies are required to more effectively combat this pathogen. The immunopathologic features of experimental syphilis in the rabbit; the course, stages, and pathology of human syphilis; and a comparison of human syphilis with leprosy suggest that the clinical course of syphilis and its tissue manifestations are determined by the balance between delayed-type hypersensitivity (DTH) and humoral immunity to the causative agent, Treponema pallidum. A strong DTH response is associated with clearance of the infecting organisms in a well-developed chancre, whereas a cytotoxic T-cell response or strong humoral antibody response is associated with prolonged infection and progression to tertiary disease. Many of the protean symptoms/appearances of secondary and tertiary human syphilis are manifestations of immune reactions that fail to clear the organism, due to a lack of recruitment and, more importantly, activation of macrophages by sensitized CD4 T cells. The Bacillus Calmette-Guerin vaccination can enhance DTH and has been shown to produce a low, but measurable, beneficial effect in the prevention of leprosy, a disease that shows a disease spectrum with characteristics in common with syphilis. In the prevention of syphilis, a potential vaccine protective against syphilis should be designed to augment the DTH response.

Pressure ulcer-like presacral gummata in a patient with tertiary syphilis

Pressure ulcers are common among elderly patients. Here, we describe a case of tertiary syphilis with ulcerated gummata, appearing as a possible pressure ulcer. In such a case, wound management has to be accompanied by specific antibiosis to achieve healing.

Syphilis: Uncommon presentations in adults

The clinical manifestations of syphilis are variable in appearance and have been described for centuries. The disease has been arbitrarily divided mainly into three stages. Uncommon presentations of syphilis in adults include (a) primary syphilis-atypical forms of chancre vary in size, shape, morphology, and color. Small ulcus durum is single or multiple, grouped, or herpetiform. Giant necrotic and phagedenic chancres are resolved with scar formation. In intratriginous areas, ulcus durum is rhagadiform, linear, "rocket type," or bilateral. (b) Secondary syphilids include macular (roseolas, leukomelanoderma), papular (small miliar or lichenoid, or with large size-lenticular or nummular), papulosquamous, syphilis cornee, psoriasiform, annular en cockade, nodular, condylomata lata, malignant syphilis, and others; there are also mucosal lesions, loss of the hairs, and alteration of the nails. (c) Tertiary syphilis occurs decades after infection in three main forms: gummatous, cardiovascular, and neurosyphilis (asymptomatic, meningeal, meningovascular, and parenchymatous-such as general paresis or tabes dorsalis). Early recognition of the clinical manifestations of syphilis is important for the start of treatment, recovery of patients, and the prevention of the spread of disease.

Syphilis: review with emphasis on clinical, epidemiologic, and some biologic features

Syphilis is a chronic disease with a waxing and waning course, the manifestations of which have been described for centuries. It occurs worldwide, and the incidence varies significantly with geographic location. Transmission is mainly by sexual contact. The causative organism, Treponema pallidum, was first described in 1905, but because of the inability to culture the organism and the limitations of direct microscopy, serologic testing is the mainstay of laboratory diagnosis. The disease has been arbitrarily divided into several stages. The primary stage is defined by a chancre at the site of inoculation. The secondary stage is characterized by a polymorphic rash, lymphadenopathy, and other systemic manifestations. A variable asymptomatic latent period follows, which for epidemiologic purposes is divided into early (<1 year) and late (>1 year) stages. The early stages (primary, secondary, and early latent) are potentially infectious. The tertiary stage is the most destructive and is marked by cardiovascular and neurologic sequelae and gummatous involvement of any organ system. Congenital infection may result in protean early or late manifestations. Unlike many other bacteria causing infectious diseases, the organism remains sensitive to penicillin, and this remains the mainstay of therapy.