Syphilitic hepatitis; a rare manifestation of a common disease

Abstract

Syphilis is a sexual transmitted disease caused by Treponema pallidum and an underdiagnosed and underreported cause of acute hepatitis. In recent years, reported cases of primary and secondary syphilis have been increasing, mostly in men who have sex with men. Clinical manifestations of syphilis are diverse, earning the name of "the great imitator" which can affect virtually any organ. Nonetheless, hepatic involvement is rare, but it can occur at any stage of the disease. We present the case of a 41-year-old immunocompetent male, that presents to us with a cholestatic hepatitis and a diffuse erythematous rash with palmo-plantar affection. The patient had no history of primary syphilis. After throughout aetiologic study, he was diagnosed with syphilitic hepatitis and treated with intramuscular Benzathine benzylpenicillin, with the disappearance of the rash and normalization of liver enzymes after 3 months. We would like to highlight that this aetiology should be considered in patients with unexplained elevation of liver enzymes (mainly cholestatic enzymes) and an epidemiologic context of unsafe sexual exposure.

Keywords: Acute Hepatitis; Immunocompetent Patient; Secondary Syphilis; Sexually Transmitted Infection; Syphilitic Hepatitis.

Figure 1

Photograph showing non-itchy, non-vesicular, macular, erythematous lesions of the anterior trunk (a) and left trunk (b)

Figure 2

Histopathological findings – superficial perivascular infiltrate of lymphomonocytic round cells (haematoxylin-eosin x200) (2)

Figure 3

Photograph 3 weeks after treatment with Benzathine benzylpenicillin