Aortitis in Bejel: A PRELIMINARY REPORT

Abstract

A review of the literature shows that the occurrence of cardiovascular complications in bejel has received little attention. Hudson (1937) stated that he had never found a clinically substantiated case of aortic valve disease or aneurysm in bejel, and that in Bedouin patients hypertension was virtually unknown, and cardiovascular syphilis practically absent. Macqueen (1934) and Hasselmann (1938) The general characteristics and size of the ascending aorta, the arch, and the descending aorta were studied under fluoroscopy. Localized bulgings, particularly of the ascending aorta, were taken as pathognomonic of syphilitic aortitis (Stokes and others, 1944). A search was made for linear calcification in the walls of the aorta, considered by Thorner and Carter (1948) as pathognomonic of syphilitic aortitis, but this was not found.The " swinging-door pulsation phenomenon " was not encountered, but " sluggish pulsations " were noted in one case. In measuring the aortic knob, we followed the method and recommendations of Roesler (1943)

Bejel in Sheffield.

“…It was formerly common among the nomadic tribes near the banks of the Euphrates and Tigris rivers. Like other forms of non-venereal treponematosis it rarely leads to visceral, neurological, or congenital involvement (Csonka, 1953;Akrawi and Rahim, 1951). …”