1. Granulomatous Secondary Syphilis: A Case Report with a Brief Overview of the Diagnostic Role of Immunohistochemistry
- Author
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Francesca Ambrogio, Gerardo Cazzato, Caterina Foti, Mauro Grandolfo, Gisella Biagina Mennuni, Gino Antonio Vena, Nicoletta Cassano, Teresa Lettini, Cosimo Castronovi, Vito Ingordo, Paolo Romita, and Raffaele Filotico
- Subjects
immunohistochemistry ,granuloma ,granulomatous histological pattern ,secondary syphilis ,Treponema pallidum ,Medicine - Abstract
The diagnosis of syphilis can be challenging for dermatologists and dermatopathologists. In particular, secondary syphilis can have different clinical and histopathological presentations. A granulomatous tissue response is an unusual finding in secondary syphilis. We report the case of a 77-year-old man who presented with a 4-week history of non-pruritic generalised macules, papules, nodules and plaques. Histopathologically, there was a dense perivascular and periadnexal lympho-histiocytic dermal infiltrate with non-palisading and non-caseifying epithelioid granulomas and abundant plasma cells. The diagnosis of syphilis was confirmed by serology and immunohistochemical detection of Treponema pallidum in the biopsy specimen. A brief overview of the diagnostic role of immunohistochemistry is also provided, with particular emphasis on reported cases of granulomatous secondary syphilis.
- Published
- 2023
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