A rare case of secondary syphilis presenting with extensive cutaneous nodules and generalised lymphadenopathy

Abstract

Syphilis is an infectious disease caused by the spirochete Treponema pallidum. Syphilis is divided into clinical stages including primary, secondary, latent and tertiary syphilis. Secondary syphilis can present with various mucocutaneous lesions and multisystem involvement. Since it can mimic many other diseases, syphilis is known as 'the great imitator' . However, secondary syphilis with nodular lesions is very rare. Moreover, nodular secondary syphilis can be misdiagnosed as syphilitic nodules of the tertiary stage. Hereby, we report an unusual presentation of secondary syphilis characterized by extensive erythematous nodules and generalised lymphadenopathy in an immunocompetent 39-year-old Caucasian male patient.