title: Syphilitic gastritis in an HIV-infected individual.
abstract: We report the first known case of syphilitic gastritis in an HIV-infected person. The presentation of nonspecific abdominal pain and weight loss in a 48-yr-old former intravenous drug user previously treated for asymptomatic syphilis led to a barium swallow which demonstrated linitis plastica. Upper endoscopy reinforced a suspicion of carcinoma, but biopsy made the diagnosis of syphilis by silver staining. Further testing revealed a positive serology for syphilis as well as HIV infection with a depressed CD-4 lymphocyte count. Treatment with parenteral penicillin led to a rapid resolution of symptoms. This case represents a rare complication of late syphilis, and is another example of the unusual manifestations of syphilis seen in the HIV-infected population.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, The Beth Israel Medical Center, New York, New York.
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Kasmin
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Reddy
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Mathur-Wagh
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Sarlin
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Goldman
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Antosofsky
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Strutynsky
mesh_terms: D005756:Gastritis / Q000150:complications*; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000150:complications*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013587:Syphilis / Q000150:complications*