An Emergency Department Presentation of Secondary Syphilis

Abstract

In the United States, the rate of primary and secondary syphilis has increased by 18% in 2016, the highest rate since 1993. These patients can often present to the emergency department (ED) in various stages. Although syphilis is well described in the literature, there is a paucity of ED reports of atypical cases. A 22-yr-old male presented to the ED complaining of neck pain. The patient was found to have right-sided tender cervical lymphadenopathy causing neck pain. A thorough physical exam revealed diffuse lymphadenopathy. Without an obvious infectious etiology, the patient underwent a broad workup, which revealed a reactive rapid plasma reagin (RPR) assay with a titer of 1:64. The patient had no history of the classic painless penile ulcer. The ED presentation of secondary syphilis can be very insidious, and physicians should be aware of its various presentations.