Open AccessPainful rash with hoarseness: an atypical presentation of syphilis
Author(s) -
Courtney Hanlon,
Artin Galoosian,
Saima Ali,
Randall S. Edson
Publication year - 2018
Publication title -
bmj case reports
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.231
H-Index - 26
ISSN - 1757-790X
DOI - 10.1136/bcr-2018-226892
Subject(s) - medicine , syphilis , neurosyphilis , rash , photophobia , dermatology , itching , primary syphilis , penicillin , syphilis serodiagnosis , presentation (obstetrics) , surgery , treponema , antibiotics , immunology , human immunodeficiency virus (hiv) , microbiology and biotechnology , biology
Syphilis is a sexually transmitted disease that can affect multiple organ systems, with central nervous system involvement at any stage. We present a 53-year-old woman with an unusual truncal rash with painful anogenital lesions, accompanied by patchy alopecia, oral lesions, photophobia and hoarseness. She was found to have positive serological tests for syphilis with cerebrospinal fluid findings suggestive of neurosyphilis. She underwent a 14-day course of intravenous penicillin G and exhibited successful resolution of painful anogenital lesions as well as marked improvement in dermatological, oropharyngeal, laryngeal, and neurological symptoms.