Anorectal syphilis mimicking Crohn’s disease

• Published in: Journal of infection and chemotherapy : official journal of the Japan Society of Chemotherapy Vol. 17; no. 5; pp. 713 - 715
• Main Authors: Yilmaz, Mesut, Memisoglu, Reşat, Memisoglu, Necat, Aydin, Selda, Mete, Bilgül, Tabak, Fehmi, Tabak, Omur
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Japan Elsevier Ltd 01-10-2011; Springer Japan
• Subjects: Adult; Anorectal syphilis; Anus Diseases - diagnosis; Anus Diseases - drug therapy; Anus Diseases - pathology; Case Report; Crohn Disease - diagnosis; Crohn’s disease; Diagnosis, Differential; Hematology, Oncology and Palliative Medicine; Homosexuality, Male; Humans; Infectious Diseases; Male; Medical Microbiology; Medicine; Medicine & Public Health; Penicillin G Benzathine - therapeutic use; Rectal Diseases - diagnosis; Rectal Diseases - drug therapy; Rectal Diseases - pathology; Sexually transmitted disease; Syphilis - diagnosis; Syphilis - drug therapy; Syphilis - pathology; Treponema pallidum; Treponema pallidum - isolation & purification; Virology; Anorectal syphilis; Sexually transmitted disease; Crohn’s disease
• ISSN: 1341-321X; 1437-7780
• DOI: 10.1007/s10156-011-0234-1

Anorectal syphilis, one of the great masqueraders in medicine, can be difficult to diagnose not only because of its variable symptoms but also because it is hard to think of unless a detailed history about sexual preferences and practices, including homosexuality, has been gathered. With increasing acceptance of sexual activity in our culture, despite moral and religious issues, various forms of sex have led to many different clinical conditions of sexually transmitted diseases. In this report, we describe a rare case of primary anorectal syphilis with clinical, endoscopic and histologic features that was misdiagnosed as Crohn’s disease.