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Oral forms of secondary syphilis: An illustration of the pitfalls set by the great imitator.
- Source :
-
Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology [J Am Acad Dermatol] 2021 Feb; Vol. 84 (2), pp. 348-353. Date of Electronic Publication: 2020 Apr 24. - Publication Year :
- 2021
-
Abstract
- Introduction: Syphilis is reemerging in certain populations, such as in men who have sex with men in particular. Oral manifestations are not uncommon and can render diagnosis difficult, particularly if occurring in isolation.<br />Materials and Methods: We recovered clinical data for all patients receiving a diagnosis of secondary syphilis who were referred to the National Reference Center for Syphilis in Paris, France, from January 2000 to July 2019. We selected patients presenting oral symptoms only and analyzed their general characteristics, time to diagnosis, and clinical presentations.<br />Results: Secondary syphilis was diagnosed in 206 patients, 38 of whom (18%) presented oral manifestations, which were isolated in 14 patients (37%). The main oral manifestations were subacute erosive or ulcerative lesions (55%), mucous patches on the tongue (53%), and nodular (10%) and leukokeratotic lesions (5%). Mean time to diagnosis was 4.5 months, but was significantly longer for patients with isolated oral symptoms (8.8 vs 1.8 months; P = .02).<br />Conclusion: Oral presentations of secondary syphilis are frequent and challenging for diagnosis, even in patients with epidemiologic risk factors. Clinicians confronted with subacute oral lesions in such patients should bear in mind the possibility of this contagious, curable, and sometimes severe disease.<br /> (Copyright © 2020 American Academy of Dermatology, Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)
- Subjects :
- Adult
Biopsy
Delayed Diagnosis statistics & numerical data
Diagnosis, Differential
Female
France
Humans
Male
Mouth Mucosa microbiology
Mouth Mucosa pathology
Oral Ulcer blood
Oral Ulcer drug therapy
Oral Ulcer microbiology
Penicillin G Benzathine therapeutic use
Retrospective Studies
Risk Factors
Sexual and Gender Minorities statistics & numerical data
Syphilis blood
Syphilis drug therapy
Syphilis microbiology
Syphilis Serodiagnosis
Time Factors
Tongue microbiology
Tongue pathology
Treponema pallidum immunology
Delayed Diagnosis prevention & control
Oral Ulcer diagnosis
Syphilis diagnosis
Treponema pallidum isolation & purification
Subjects
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 1097-6787
- Volume :
- 84
- Issue :
- 2
- Database :
- MEDLINE
- Journal :
- Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology
- Publication Type :
- Academic Journal
- Accession number :
- 32339705
- Full Text :
- https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jaad.2020.04.089