title: Vesicular syphilid in a seropositive patient.
abstract: Syphilis is a sexually transmitted infection with various stages of evolution and a myriad of presentations. To avoid a delay in diagnosis, it is important to recognize secondary syphilis presenting with vesicular lesions. A patient presented with maculopapular rash of recent onset with several vesicles and related the eruption to paracetamol taken one day before. The differential diagnoses considered were drug eruption, pityriasis lichenoides et varioliformis acuta, pityriasis rosea and secondary syphilis. HIV, VDRL (1:256) and TPHA tests were positive and histopathology revealed lymphohistiocytic infiltrate and plasma cells. Thus, a diagnosis of secondary syphilis coexisting with HIV was confirmed. The patient was administered benzathine penicillin and anti-retroviral therapy was started. He responded very well to treatment. We report this case because of the rarity of vesicular eruption in secondary syphilis.
authors: Department of Dermatology & Venereology, ESIC-PGIMSR, Basaidarapur, New Delhi, India.
authors: Shikha
authors: S
authors: Arora
authors: Tapan K
authors: TK
authors: Dhali
authors: Mohammad A
authors: MA
authors: Haroon
mesh_terms: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D044966:Anti-Retroviral Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005076:Exanthema / Q000209:etiology*; D006679:HIV Seropositivity / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy; D006801:Humans; D007273:Injections, Intramuscular; D008297:Male; D010401:Penicillin G Benzathine / Q000008:administration & dosage; D013587:Syphilis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy; D013588:Syphilis Serodiagnosis; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014210:Treponema pallidum / Q000302:isolation & purification*
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D044966:Anti-Retroviral Agents; D010401:Penicillin G Benzathine
keywords: AIDS; HIV; Syphilis (Treponema pallidum); maculopapular rash; secondary syphilis; vesicular syphilid