Open AccessSyphilis Hepatitis Presenting as a Mimic of Primary Biliary Cholangitis
Author(s) -
Cody Kern,
Ahmed Elmoursi,
Caroline M. Blake,
Andrew R. Hoellein
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
acg case reports journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.112
H-Index - 4
ISSN - 2326-3253
DOI - 10.14309/crj.0000000000000497
Subject(s) - medicine , syphilis , liver injury , hepatitis , autoimmune hepatitis , biliary disease , cholestasis , antibody , immunology , gastroenterology , human immunodeficiency virus (hiv)
Syphilis hepatitis is a rare cause of acute liver injury. Primary biliary cholangitis (PBC) is a progressive autoimmune disease characterized by the typical presentation of a cholestatic liver injury and the presence of antimitochondrial antibodies (AMAs). We present a case of syphilis hepatitis that presented as a mimic to PBC with positive AMA. The eradication of syphilis led to the resolution of the liver injury and down trending of the antibody level. We recommend excluding syphilis in patients with high-risk behaviors presenting with a cholestatic liver injury and positive AMA before the diagnosis of PBC.