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Case Reports
. 2022 Jun 24;9(6):e00793.
doi: 10.14309/crj.0000000000000793. eCollection 2022 Jun.

Syphilis in the Esophagus

Ronan Allencherril  1 , Paul Nicholls  2 , Shilpa Jain  3 , Robert Sealock  4 , Priti Dangayach  1
Affiliations
Case Reports

Syphilis in the Esophagus

Ronan Allencherril et al. ACG Case Rep J. .

Abstract

This report documents a unique case of syphilis with esophageal involvement. Such a presentation is exceedingly rare in the modern era, particularly among patients without human immunodeficiency virus. Most instances were documented in the 1900s and earlier. Our patient presented with months of odynophagia and recurrent oral lesions. He was found to have a sizeable esophageal ulcer on endoscopy, with biopsy confirming the diagnosis of syphilis. His symptoms quickly resolved with intramuscular penicillin. This case highlights the importance of keeping a broad differential for odynophagia and suspicious lesions, cutaneous or mucosal.

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Figures

Figure 1.
Figure 1.
Ulcer extending 30–35 cm into the esophagus.
Figure 2.
Figure 2.
Esophageal biopsy with hematoxylin and eosin stain.
Figure 3.
Figure 3.
Esophageal biopsy with fluorescent antibody stain for Treponema pallidum showing spirochetes.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

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    1. Pelemans W, Vantrappen G. Syphilis of the Esophagus. In Dis Esophagus. Springer: Berlin Heidelberg, 1974, pp 556–7.
    1. Richter J. Dysphagia, odynophagia, heartburn and other esophageal symptoms. In Gastrointestinal and Liver Disease, Pathophysiology, Diagnosis, Management, 7th edn. Saunders: Philadelphia, PA, 2002, pp 93–101.

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