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Malignant syphilis in an AIDS patient

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Abstract

Malignant syphilis is an uncommon, but not unknown, ulcerative variation of secondary syphilis. The lesions typically begin as papules, which quickly evolve to pustules and then to ulcers with elevated edges and central necrosis. It is usually, but not mandatory, found in patients with some level of immunosuppression, such as HIV patients, when the TCD4+ cell count is >200 cells/mm3. Despite the anxiety the lesions cause, this form of the disease has a good prognosis. The general symptoms disappear right after the beginning of treatment, and lesions disappear over a variable period. This study reports the case of a 27-year-old man who has been HIV positive for 6 years, uses antiretroviral therapy incorrectly, has a TCD4+ cell count of 340 cells/mm3, a VDRL of 1:128 and itchy disseminated hyperchromic maculopapular lesions with rupioid crusts compatible with malignant syphilis.

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Conflict of interest

The authors have no conflicts of interest to disclose with any of the material presented within the manuscript.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Universidade Federal do Estado do Rio de Janeiro (UNIRIO), Rio De Janeiro, RJ, Brazil

    T. R. dos Santos, I. J. de Castro, M. M. B. Dahia, M. C. V. M. de Azevedo, G. A. R. da Silva, R. N. Motta, J. da Cunha Pinto & F. R. de Almeida Ferry

  2. Mariz e Barros 775, Tijuca, Rio De Janeiro, RJ, Brazil

    G. A. R. da Silva

Authors
  1. T. R. dos Santos
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  2. I. J. de Castro
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  3. M. M. B. Dahia
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  4. M. C. V. M. de Azevedo
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  5. G. A. R. da Silva
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  6. R. N. Motta
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  7. J. da Cunha Pinto
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  8. F. R. de Almeida Ferry
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Correspondence to G. A. R. da Silva.

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dos Santos, T.R., de Castro, I.J., Dahia, M.M.B. et al. Malignant syphilis in an AIDS patient. Infection 43, 231–236 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s15010-014-0698-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s15010-014-0698-x

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