Early Malignant Syphilis in an Immunosuppressed Patient
Abstract
Early malignant syphilis, also called nodule ulcerative syphilis, was first described by Bazin in 1859, related to varying degrees of immunodeficiency, especially human acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) caused by human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). It is an aggressive and generalized variant of secondary syphilis with prodromes of fever, headache, myalgia and arthralgia, followed by papulopustular and necrotic eruptions. Because of its rarity and pleomorphic clinical presentation, this condition is underdiagnosed, which can sometimes lead to a fatal outcome. We report a case of malignant syphilis in a 40-year-old male patient with AIDS with exuberant atypical cutaneous manifestation and constitutional symptoms, which has become rare due to antiretroviral therapy.
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