title: Synovitis in secondary syphilis. Clinical, light, and electron microscopic studies.
abstract: Polyarthritis and tenosynovitis were seen as the presenting complaints in 7 patients with secondary syphilis. Synovial needle biopsy was obtained in 3 cases and showed mild synovitis with infiltration by lymphocytes, plasma cells, and polymorphonuclear leukocytes; vascular congestion; and slightly increased synovial lining cells. In addition, electron microscopy in these synovial membranes showed many necrotic polymorphonuclear leukocytes, much interstitial debris and fibrin, and in 2 patients, bodies suggestive of Treponema pallidum in the interstitium and in vessel lumens.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001170:Arthritis, Infectious / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008214:Lymphocytes; D008297:Male; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D009504:Neutrophils; D010586:Phagocytes; D013582:Synovial Fluid / Q000166:cytology* / Q000382:microbiology; D013583:Synovial Membrane / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D013585:Synovitis / Q000209:etiology* / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology; D013587:Syphilis / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology; D014210:Treponema pallidum / Q000302:isolation & purification