Malignant syphilis in a young woman: A case report

Abstract

Malignant syphilis (MS) is a rare dermatological manifestation of secondary syphilis. This case report describes a young woman that presented with a 15-day history of generalized condyloma lata and seborrheic dermatitis-like lesions at various stages. Laboratory tests showed a toluidine red unheated serum test titre of 1:128 and Treponema pallidum particle agglutination positivity. Serology for HIV antibodies was repeatedly negative. MS was diagnosed according to established MS diagnostic criteria. The lesions regressed after treatment with 2 400 000 units penicillin G benzathine by intramuscular injection weekly for three consecutive weeks. MS is more frequently associated with HIV-infected patients, which makes this current case more interesting because MS in HIV-negative patients has rarely been reported.