Secondary Pulmonary Syphilis: Report of A Likely Case and Literature Review

• Published in: Clinical infectious diseases Vol. 42; no. 3; pp. e11 - e15
• Main Authors: David, Gary, Perpoint, Thomas, Boibieux, André, Pialat, Jean-Baptiste, Salord, Hélène, Devouassoux, Modjgan, Chidiac, Christian, Peyramond, Dominique
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States The University of Chicago Press 01-02-2006; Oxford University Press
• Subjects: Adult; Anti-Bacterial Agents - therapeutic use; HIV Infections - complications; Humans; Male; Penicillin G - therapeutic use; Pneumonia, Bacterial - diagnosis; Pneumonia, Bacterial - drug therapy; Pneumonia, Bacterial - microbiology; Pneumonia, Bacterial - pathology; Syphilis - diagnosis; Syphilis - drug therapy; Syphilis - etiology
• ISSN: 1058-4838; 1537-6591
• DOI: 10.1086/499104

We report the case of a homosexual, HIV-positive man with typical secondary syphilis and multiple excavated pulmonary subpleural nodules. Syphilis with direct pulmonary involvement was suggested by a positive result of PCR of a bronchoalveolar lavage fluid specimen, then confirmed by a positive therapeutic test result. Only 9 reports of pulmonary involvement in secondary syphilis have been reported to date in the English-language literature. Clinicians should be aware of this atypical localization of syphilis.