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Case Reports
. 2023 Apr 3;36(4):510-513.
doi: 10.1080/08998280.2023.2193130. eCollection 2023.

An HIV-positive man with painless ulcer and pustules: mpox, syphilis, or both?

Ian Thien Bui  1   2 , Benjamin Sloan  1   2 , Marc Tribble  2   3 , Angela Yen Moore  2   4   5
Affiliations
Case Reports

An HIV-positive man with painless ulcer and pustules: mpox, syphilis, or both?

Ian Thien Bui et al. Proc (Bayl Univ Med Cent). .

Abstract

Mpox (formerly monkeypox) is a viral illness endemic in certain parts of the world such as Africa. Travel to these endemic areas has increased outbreaks in regions typically unaffected by this poxvirus. Mpox infection is characterized by prodromal symptoms including fever, chills, and lymphadenopathy, followed by a vesiculopustular exanthem. Genital lesions are common especially in vulnerable populations, such as those who engage in high-risk sexual behaviors. We report a 50-year-old man living with HIV who presented for evaluation of multiple painless genital lesions and later tested positive for both mpox and syphilis. With recent outbreaks, clinicians should evaluate genital lesions with a broad sexually transmitted infection differential. Rapid diagnosis and treatment are imperative to prevent more severe disease progression in immunocompromised patients.

Keywords: Coinfection; HIV; monkeypox; mpox; sexually transmitted infection; syphilis.

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Conflict of interest statement

No funding or potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Figures

Figure 1.
Figure 1.
(a) A 1.4 cm painless ulcer with black eschar and 4 mm pseudopustule on an erythematous base on the dorsal shaft of the penis. (b) Painless pseudopustules with erythematous halos on left and right buttock. (c) Forehead with 3 mm pustule with erythematous halo.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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