title: Chameleons everywhere.
abstract: We report the case of an HIV-infected man returning from Thailand with secondary syphilis with general symptoms, hepatitis and a pulmonary mass lesion. A cerebrospinal fluid examination showed no signs of neurosyphilis. Two months after successful treatment with benzathine penicillin he presented with a mass lesion in the brain suspected to be a glioma or glioblastoma, which turned out to be a syphilitic gumma. Syphilis remains a great imitator in clinical medicine. Syphilitic brain gummata can develop within a few months.
authors.affiliation: Department of Emergency, Hirslandenklinik Bern, Bern, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Katharina
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Sprenger
authors.affiliation: Institut für Infektionskrankheiten, Universitätsspital Bern, Bern, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Hansjakob
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Furrer
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005909:Glioblastoma / Q000175:diagnosis; D005910:Glioma / Q000175:diagnosis; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000150:complications; D006505:Hepatitis / Q000175:diagnosis; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis; D008297:Male; D010401:Penicillin G Benzathine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D013587:Syphilis / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D010401:Penicillin G Benzathine