| This case report describes a laboratory-acquired infection with treponema pallidum, Nichols strain. The specific details of the accidental exposure are presented, along with a description of the clinical observations. This infection indicates that the rabbit adapted Nichols strain of T pallidum retains its capability to infect humans. In addition, aerosols of concentrated preparations of these organisms, generated within the laboratory, represent a definite biohazard. ( info) |
2/359. Jarisch-Herxheimer reaction. Case report. The Jarisch-Herxheimer reaction is a response to the treatment of syphilis. The most common findings are fever, malaise, headache, and exacerbation of cutaneous lesions. The reaction is thought to be due to the effects of treponema breakdown products, and it should not be confused with an allergic reaction to the antibiotic employed. Thus, further therapy must not be withheld. Treatment is symptomatic. ( info) |
3/359. syphilis in an hiv infected patient misdiagnosed as leprosy. A 42-year-old man with uveitis and a widespread cutaneous eruption, histopathologically characterized by dermal granulomatous infiltrates with perineurial invasion, was incorrectly diagnosed and treated as having borderline leprosy. Further studies demonstrated secondary syphilis and human immunodeficiency virus (hiv) infection. Standard penicillin therapy resolved his cutaneous and ocular lesions. Reports on clinical and pathological findings of active syphilis in hiv infected patients are scarce but this case and isolated previous case reports suggest that granulomatous infiltrates might be a common feature in secondary syphilis with short evolution in hiv infected patients. ( info) |
4/359. Unusual location of syphilitic alopecia: a case report. A case of syphilitic alopecia on the legs of young man is described. Both positive serologic tests and the clinical response to treatment with penicillin suggest that this alopecia was due to syphilis. This report suggests that the physician should be aware of the possible unusual location of syphilitic alopecia at sites other than the scalp, eyebrows, and beard. ( info) |
5/359. Two recent cases of tertiary syphilis. Tertiary syphilis is now a rare disease in europe, mainly as a result of occasional antibiotherapy for concomitant infections. However early syphilis is rising in USA and germany, and it is necessary to maintain an high level of knowledge and suspicion to achieve a diagnosis in the tertiary stage of the disease. In this report two patients with benign tertiary syphilis are described. The first one is a 55-year-old female with erythemato-violaceous annular scaling plaques on the right buttock and scapula and on both thighs, which had a negative and then a low VDRL titer. The second case is a 33-year-old mentally handicapped female with erythematous plaques, with psoriasiform scaling in the trunk and well defined crusted ulcers on the face, which also had negative VDRL. biopsy of the skin lesions revealed plasmocytic infiltrate with endothelial swelling without granulomas and with negative silver stains in both patients. The investigation for cardiovascular and neurological involvement was negative in both patients. diagnosis of tertiary syphilis can be difficult as clinical pictures can be misleading, similar to other granulomatous diseases, and serological titers can be low or negative. We recall the necessity of ruling out neurological and cardiac involvement in this stage of syphilis. These cases are reported as a reminder of the possibility of syphilis, so that new cases are not misdiagnosed and mistreated as other diseases. ( info) |
6/359. Subclinical syphilitic hepatitis, which was markedly worsened by a Jarisch-Herxheimer reaction. Early syphilitic hepatitis is uncommon and tends to be overlooked. However, the diagnosis of this disease is important, because appropriate treatment results in rapid resolution of the hepatitis. We report a case of subclinical early syphilitic hepatitis exaggerated by a Jarisch-Herxheimer reaction. This reaction helped to realize the diagnosis in this case. ( info) |
7/359. Destructive bone disease in early syphilis. Although destructive bone disease is a well-known complication of tertiary syphilis, osteitis or osteomyelitis are not commonly recognized as complications of early (primary or secondary) syphillis. A patient with secondary syphilis characterized by generalized lymphadenopathy, perianal condyloma lata, and positive rapid plasma reagin (RPR) and fluorescent treponemal antibody-absorption (FTA-ABS) tests also complained of headache, right should pain, and right anterior chest pain and swelling. Roentgenograms showed mottled osteolytic lesions consistent with previously described luetic bone disease. biopsy confirmed the diagnosis of syphilitic osteomyelitis, and treatment with penicillin resulted in prompt resolution of symptoms. ( info) |
8/359. pituitary gland gumma in congenital syphilis after failed maternal treatment: a case report. A preterm, very low birth weight infant was born to a mother with early latent syphilis who was treated 10 days and 3 days before delivery with 2.4 mU of benzathine penicillin. The infant had clinical, laboratory, and radiographic abnormalities consistent with congenital syphilis, ie, a Venereal disease research Laboratory test titer that was fourfold greater than was the maternal titer, hepatosplenomegaly, abnormal liver function tests, pneumonitis, osteochondritis of the long bones, and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) examination showing a reactive Venereal disease research Laboratory test, pleocytosis, and elevated protein content. The infant died on the third day of life, and an autopsy revealed an evolving gumma of the anterior pituitary. immunoglobulin m immunoblotting of serum and CSF was positive, and polymerase chain reaction detected treponema pallidum dna in endotracheal aspirate and CSF. This case highlights the pathologic abnormalities observed in congenital syphilis and focuses on the rare finding of an evolving anterior pituitary gumma. Furthermore, it documents the failure of maternal syphilis treatment during the last 4 weeks of pregnancy to cure fetal infection and supports the recommendation that all infants born to mothers with syphilis treated during the last 4 weeks of pregnancy should receive penicillin therapy. ( info) |
| We report a patient with dementia due to B-12 deficiency and syphilis who presented to a forensic hospital after killing his ex-wife with a gun. Despite current awareness on the occurrence of aggression and violence in patients with dementia, there has been no report discussing dementia secondary to an infectious or nutritional origin causing homicide or severe violent behavior. We discuss possible mechanisms and several predisposing factors for violent behavior in the elderly. We also discuss use and access of a gun in demented patients and its complications. We recommend availability of neuropsychiatric assessments in the elderly, limitation of gun access to demented patients and inquiry about weapon possession in the elderly. ( info) |
10/359. Two recent cases of tertiary syphilis. Tertiary syphilis is now a rare disease in europe, mainly as a result of occasional antibiotherapy for concomitant infections. However early syphilis is rising in USA and germany, and it is necessary to maintain an high level of knowledge and suspicion to achieve a diagnosis in the tertiary stage of the disease. In this report two patients with benign tertiary syphilis are described. The first one is a 55-year-old female with erythemato-violaceous annular scaling plaques on the right buttock and scapula and on both thighs, which had a negative and then a low VDRL titer. The second case is a 33-year-old mentally handicapped female with erythematous plaques, with psoriasiform scaling in the trunk and well defined crusted ulcers on the face, which also had negative VDRL. biopsy of the skin lesions revealed plasmocytic infiltrate with endothelial swelling without granulomas and with negative silver stains in both patients. The investigation for cardiovascular and neurological involvement was negative in both patients. diagnosis of tertiary syphilis can be difficult as clinical pictures can be misleading, similar to other granulomatous diseases, and serological titers can be low or negative. We recall the necessity of ruling out neurological and cardiac involvement in this stage of syphilis. These cases are reported as a reminder of the possibility of syphilis, so that new cases are not misdiagnosed and mistreated as other diseases. ( info) |