Syphilis: The Renaissance of an Old Disease with Oral Implications

Abstract

Syphilis is caused by Treponema pallidum an anaerobic filamentous spirochete.

Three cases of oral syphilis – an overview

“…The syphilitic chancre usually presents as an indurated, painless ulcer. 3 Case two showed more typical presentations of early latent syphilis in the form of a white patch and case three mucocutaneous …”

“…The risk of infectivity and clinical features are closely linked to the stage of the disease. 2,3,8 Clinical presentation of syphilis: intra-oral…”

“…3 The presenting lesion in case two: a non-specific well demarcated white patch on the lateral border of the tongue affects the tongue, palate, gingiva or lips and has a spontaneous resolution. 3 The secondary stage of the disease is characterised by snail track ulceration. Lues maligna also known as malignant syphilis is a rare manifestation of secondary syphilis which can involve the oral mucosa.…”

“…3 Secondary syphilis Raised lesions with a pseudomembrane surrounded by erythema (mucous patches) and/or snail track oral mucosal ulceration and regional lymphadenopathy. 3 Latent syphilis Often has no clinical manifestations. However, so-called mucocutaneous relapse with nonspecific oral mucosal white patches may occur.…”

“…2 Possible reasons for this increase in prevalence are a false sense of security that today sexually transmitted infections are curable, resulting in an increase in sexual promiscuity and alcohol abuse, and a decrease in the use of barrier protection and lack of pertinent knowledge. 3 Syphilis is an infectious disease caused by the organism Treponema pallidum. There has been a dramatic increase in the number of new cases of syphilis in the UK over the past decade.…”