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Case Reports
. 2019 Jan 28;12(1):bcr-2018-226918.
doi: 10.1136/bcr-2018-226918.

Hepatitis in patients with syphilis: an overlooked association

Ana Carina Pizzarossa  1 , Martín Rebella  1
Affiliations
Case Reports

Hepatitis in patients with syphilis: an overlooked association

Ana Carina Pizzarossa et al. BMJ Case Rep. .

Abstract

We present the case of a patient who sought treatment for fever and a maculopapular rash involving the trunk, limbs, palms and soles. The patient also presented with hepatomegaly and elevated levels of liver enzymes (with a higher increase of alkaline phosphatase). With the proposal of early syphilitic hepatitis, during the stage of secondary syphilis, a venereal disease research laboratory and Treponema pallidum haemagglutination tests were requested, which confirmed the diagnosis. All altered parameters improved with antibiotic treatment for secondary syphilis. Syphilitic hepatitis is an often overlooked presentation of syphilis and should be considered as a differential diagnosis in patients with elevated levels of liver enzymes and risk factors for syphilis.

Keywords: hepatitis other; syphilis.

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Conflict of interest statement

Competing interests: None declared.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Lesions on left palm. The photographs were taken 24 hours after receiving the only dose of penicillin treatment.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Lesions on right palm.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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