Analysis of own observations of visceral syphilis lethal outcomes

Abstract

The epidemiological situation of the syphilis incidence in the modern world is characterized as a hidden epidemic, which manifests itself in latent and late forms of the disease. Despite the general trend towards a decrease in the incidence of syphilis, there are some specific features in many regions of Russia. Deaths from visceral syphilis are now rare. The article presents data on the epidemiology, nosological forms of visceral syphilis, and describes two lethal outcomes. In observations, late syphilis was characterized by damage to several organs (liver, lungs, heart, brain), but the leading clinical manifestations were neurosyphilis (syphilitic meningoencephalitis) and cardiovascular syphilis (syphilitic mesaortitis, interstitial myocarditis). Damage of the respiratory and digestive organs (stomach, liver) are rare forms of visceral syphilis. In the presented observations, gummas in the lungs and liver, which were not clinically diagnosed, were detected. In all cases, the diagnosis of visceral syphilis was established at autopsy on the basis of a characteristic morphological picture (detection of gummas) and positive results of the Wassermann reaction.