title: Osteitis in the dens of axis caused by Treponema pallidum.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Syphilis has been referred to as "the great imitator" due to its ability to imitate other diseases. Untreated syphilis becomes a systemic infection that can involve almost every organ systems. Treponema pallidum has a high affinity for bone tissue, but osteitis has mainly been described in late stages of the disease. Vertebral involvement is rare, and this is to our knowledge the first case describing syphilitic spondylitis in early acquired syphilis.
  
  
  METHODS
  We here describe destructive osteitis in the vertebral column as the initial manifestation of early acquired syphilis in a 24-year-old caucasian homosexual male with HIV infection. The diagnosis was reached by universal bacterial PCR and DNA sequencing of the DNA product. It was confirmed by PCR specific for Treponema pallidum, immunohistochemistry and detection of increasing antibody titer.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  As syphilis has re-emerged in Western countries and remains a worldwide common disease it is important to have in mind as a causative agent of skeletal symptoms, especially among HIV-infected individuals or men who have sex with men (MSM).
authors.affiliation: Department of Infectious Diseases, Copenhagen University Hospital, Rigshospitalet, Denmark.
authors.forename: Thilde
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Fabricius
authors.forename: Charlotte
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Winther
authors.forename: Caroline
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ewertsen
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kemp
authors.forename: Susanne Dam
authors.initials: SD
authors.lastname: Nielsen
mesh_terms: D015658:HIV Infections / Q000382:microbiology; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D009809:Odontoid Process / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000473:pathology*; D010000:Osteitis / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000821:virology; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D013587:Syphilis / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000821:virology; D014210:Treponema pallidum / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D055815:Young Adult