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Infections and the Rheumatic Diseases pp 265–275Cite as

Syphilis-Related Musculoskeletal Manifestations

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Abstract

Syphilis is a chronic sexually transmitted infection due to the spirochetal bacterium Treponema pallidum (TP) subspecies Pallidum, the overall incidence of which is recently increasing among the sexually transmitted diseases. This increase concerns both congenital syphilis (early and late) and acquired syphilis. The natural history of the latter is stereotyped with a three-phase clinical evolution, primary, secondary, and tertiary, and can be also subdivided into early or “infectious syphilis” and late syphilis. This natural history includes not only the central nervous and the cardiovascular systems as well as gummatous infections but also many other sites, among them the musculoskeletal system. Syphilitic musculoskeletal manifestations (MSKM) remain rare. However they should be kept in mind because of the current recrudescence of the disease and because of their frequently misleading expression which contributed, among other syphilitic manifestations, to make the disease earn the name “great simulator.” Syphilitic MSKM are mainly related to the hematogenous dissemination of TP. The main lesions are bone involvement (osteochondritis, periosteitis and osteitis) and joint involvement, the pattern of which is in keeping with the clinical presentation of the disease. However, involvement of muscles, tendons, and their sheaths, as well as bursitis, although rare, has also been reported.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Rheumatology, Mohammed VI University of Health Sciences (UM6SS), Casablanca, Commune Hay Hassani, Morocco

    Najia Hajjaj-Hassouni

  2. Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy, Departments of Rheumatology and Physiology, Mohammed V University, Rabat, Agdal, Morocco

    Hanan Rkain

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  1. Najia Hajjaj-Hassouni
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  2. Hanan Rkain
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Editors and Affiliations

  1. LSU Health Sciences at New Orleans, Louisiana State University, New Orleans, LA, USA

    Luis R. Espinoza

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Hajjaj-Hassouni, N., Rkain, H. (2019). Syphilis-Related Musculoskeletal Manifestations. In: Espinoza, L. (eds) Infections and the Rheumatic Diseases. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-23311-2_25

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