title: [Histological features of cutaneous secondary syphilitic lesions: a report of two cases].
abstract: Syphilis is a sexually transmitted infectious disease, which currently shows a high increase of incidence in HIV negative patients. These patients often seek medical advice at a stage of secondary syphilis, as the lesions of the primary phase may pass unperceived. Very often, the diagnosis is evoked through a cutaneous biopsy, since the clinical presentation is often misleading. Even though the histological signs are not specific, they may suggest the diagnosis, by showing a psoriasiform epidermal hyperplasia with neutrophil exocytosis and a dermal lichenoid infiltrate rich in plasma cells. However, it is important to underline the great polymorphism of these lesions, which can easily vary according to the stage and /or clinical form. It's very important to have a quick and accurate diagnosis, because the lesions are very contagious, but rapidly and completely cured by an early administrated antibiotic treatment.
authors.affiliation: Service d'Anatomie et Cytologie Pathologiques, Hôpital Necker-Enfants Malades, Paris. viorel.vasiliu@nck.ap-hop-paris.fr
authors.forename: Viorel
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Vasiliu
authors.forename: Sylvie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Fraitag
authors.forename: Nicole
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Brousse
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D004396:Coloring Agents; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D013591:Syphilis, Cutaneous / Q000473:pathology*
chemical_list: D004396:Coloring Agents