Secondary syphilis presenting as a corymbiform syphilide: case report and review

ABSTRACT It is essential that healthcare providers are familiar with the full spectrum of clinical presentations of syphilis. A rare manifestation of secondary syphilis is the corymbiform (or corymbose) arrangement, in which a central greater papule is surrounded by smaller satellite lesions. Very few reports of corymbiform syphilis are available in current biomedical databases. We present the case of a 28 year-old HIV-infected male patient on regular, successful antiretroviral therapy who developed an asymptomatic corymbiform maculopapular lesion in the medial aspect of the right thigh. There were also a few brownish macular lesions on the left sole. New serological tests for syphilis (which had been negative in the past) were reactive. The coymbiform lesion slowly regressed and the non-treponemal test reverted to negative after benzathine penicillin G treatment. A review of the literature is provided. This is the first report of corymbiform syphilis in an HIV-infected patient.

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Eyer-Silva,Walter de Araujo, Souza,Viviane Primo Basílio de, Silva,Guilherme Almeida Rosa da, Brasil,Fernando Vieira, Portela,Alessandra dos Santos, Carvalho,Ricardo de Souza, Neves-Motta,Rogerio, Martins,Carlos José
Format: Digital revista
Language:English
Published: Instituto de Medicina Tropical de São Paulo 2018
Online Access:http://old.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0036-46652018005000504
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:ABSTRACT It is essential that healthcare providers are familiar with the full spectrum of clinical presentations of syphilis. A rare manifestation of secondary syphilis is the corymbiform (or corymbose) arrangement, in which a central greater papule is surrounded by smaller satellite lesions. Very few reports of corymbiform syphilis are available in current biomedical databases. We present the case of a 28 year-old HIV-infected male patient on regular, successful antiretroviral therapy who developed an asymptomatic corymbiform maculopapular lesion in the medial aspect of the right thigh. There were also a few brownish macular lesions on the left sole. New serological tests for syphilis (which had been negative in the past) were reactive. The coymbiform lesion slowly regressed and the non-treponemal test reverted to negative after benzathine penicillin G treatment. A review of the literature is provided. This is the first report of corymbiform syphilis in an HIV-infected patient.