Secondary syphilis in Adult
See also in: Anogenital,Hair and Scalp,Oral Mucosal LesionAlerts and Notices
Synopsis
The natural history of syphilis is as follows:
Primary stage:
- Primary lesion develops 10-90 days (average of 21 days) after direct inoculation.
- Primary lesion is typically a painless, asymptomatic papule, followed by a painless ulcer (chancre) and regional lymphadenopathy.
- Chancre lasts 3-6 weeks and heals spontaneously.
- Locations for chancres may include the vagina, cervix, penis, anus, rectum, lips, and inside of the mouth.
- Secondary syphilis is caused by hematogenous dissemination of bacteria.
- A wide range of clinical manifestations, dominated by prodromal symptoms and mucocutaneous manifestations 3-10 weeks after the appearance of the primary chancre.
- Prodromal symptoms and signs – Malaise, appetite loss, fever, headache, stiff neck, myalgias, pharyngitis, and flu-like symptoms. Generalized lymphadenopathy is typically present.
- Cutaneous manifestations – Generalized nonpruritic papulosquamous eruption including the palms and soles, with pink, violaceous, or copper-colored papules, each with a collarette of scale. Patchy alopecia of the scalp is also observed in secondary syphilis.
- Mucosal lesions – Mucous patches and "snail-track" ulcers in the mouth, and condyloma lata (gray, flat, moist papules and plaques) may be seen in moist anogenital locations or, more rarely, in the folds. They are teeming with spirochetes and are, therefore, extremely infectious.
- Ocular symptoms may include lacrimation, photophobia, and red, painful eyes.
- Malignant syphilis (lues maligna) is a rare, noduloulcerative manifestation of secondary syphilis. A generalized eruption of papules and nodules progresses to painful, necrotic ulcers that may have overlying thick or rupioid (darkly colored and conical) crusts. Constitutional symptoms and generalized lymphadenopathy are usually seen. Most contemporary cases of malignant syphilis have been reported in the setting of underlying HIV infection.
- Mucocutaneous manifestations and prodromal symptoms last 3-12 weeks and resolve spontaneously.
- If left untreated, up to 25% of patients will relapse within the first 2 years.
- May appear months to years after secondary syphilis resolves and can involve the central nervous system, heart, bones, and skin.
Immunocompromised patient considerations: HIV infection can alter the clinical presentation of syphilis. Manifestations include multiple chancres, atypical cutaneous eruptions, increased severity of organ involvement (such as hepatitis and glomerulonephritis), and rapidly developing arteritis and neurosyphilis. Neurosyphilis can occur at any stage of syphilis.
Other related topics: early congenital syphilis, late congenital syphilis, ocular syphilis
Codes
ICD10CM:A51.39 – Other secondary syphilis of skin
SNOMEDCT:
240557004 – Secondary syphilis
Look For
Subscription Required
Diagnostic Pearls
Subscription Required
Differential Diagnosis & Pitfalls
The following differential will be focused on the mucocutaneous findings of secondary syphilis.Skin:
- Pityriasis rosea – Look for herald patch, collarette of scale, and orientation of lesions (fir-tree pattern in skin tension lines).
- Pityriasis rubra pilaris – Look for orange-red, waxy-like keratoderma of the palms and soles; consider tissue biopsy.
- Guttate psoriasis – Systemic signs absent, palms and soles are spared; biopsy will aid in diagnosis.
- Lichen planus – Very pruritic, violaceous, scaly papules, associated with hepatitis C; consider tissue biopsy.
- Lichen amyloidosis – Monomorphous papules.
- Drug eruption – Cutaneous lesions of drug eruption tend to be different than those seen in syphilis. Drug eruptions often present with urticarial, exanthematous, or vesicular / bullous lesions. Eosinophilia on CBC and histology are often seen (but eosinophilia is not an invariable finding). Look for NSAIDs, sulfonamides, and penicillin on medication history.
- Erythema multiforme – Characteristic target lesions (3 concentric colors that are round and well demarcated) occur on the extremities more often than the trunk. Precipitating factors are infectious (eg, herpes simplex virus, mycoplasma) and usually not medication related.
- Keratoderma blenorrhagica of reactive arthritis (Reiter syndrome)
- Tinea corporis – Check potassium hydroxide (KOH) test.
- Scabies – Check for scabies mites in mineral oil.
- Sarcoidosis
- Subacute cutaneous lupus erythematosus
- Herpes simplex
- Aphthous ulcers
- Erythroplakia
- Erosions due to oral candidiasis
- Oral lichen planus
- Condyloma lata
- Condyloma acuminata
- Mucosal lichen planus
- Condyloma lata
- Condyloma acuminata
- Mucosal lichen planus
- Cutaneous candidiasis
- Seborrheic keratoses
- Extramammary Paget disease
- Monkeypox
Best Tests
Subscription Required
Management Pearls
Subscription Required
Therapy
Subscription Required
References
Subscription Required
Last Reviewed:08/24/2020
Last Updated:05/30/2022
Last Updated:05/30/2022
Patient Information for Secondary syphilis in Adult
Overview
Syphilis is a sexually transmitted infection (STI) caused by the bacterium Treponema pallidum. Secondary syphilis is the second of four stages of syphilis infection and it occurs typically 1-3 months after the first stage of syphilis. All patients who contract syphilis will go on to develop secondary syphilis if the infection is not treated.Who’s At Risk
You can get syphilis by having unprotected vaginal, anal, or oral sex.According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), secondary syphilis rates have increased since 2005 among men and men who have sex with men. An increase in syphilis cases has been reported in the United States in black and Hispanic individuals, sex workers, individuals who expose themselves to sex workers, and individuals with a medical history of other STIs.
Signs & Symptoms
Secondary syphilis typically includes skin rashes and sores in your mouth, anus, penis, or vagina. The rash often appears as red or brown, rough-looking spots on the palms or bottoms of feet. Other symptoms can include fever, sore throat, headaches, weight loss, fatigue, muscle aches, and hair loss.Self-Care Guidelines
To reduce your chances of contracting syphilis, use a condom when having sex. Also, consult your partner(s) prior to having sex about their risk of infection.When to Seek Medical Care
Seek medical care if you experience any of the symptoms of syphilis. You should be tested for syphilis routinely if you are a man who has sex with men, are pregnant, have HIV, or have a partner infected with syphilis.Even if symptoms subside, without treatment, secondary syphilis can turn into tertiary syphilis, which can involve the brain and the heart with very serious side effects.
Treatments
Syphilis must be treated with penicillin. If you are allergic to penicillin, you will need to be desensitized to it. You should also be tested for HIV infection. Syphilis can be completely cured, but only with treatment.Secondary syphilis in Adult
See also in: Anogenital,Hair and Scalp,Oral Mucosal Lesion