Journal of IMAB - Annual Proceeding (Scientific Papers) · Published 2025-12-01 · DOI 10.5272/jimab.2025314.6636
Background: Syphilis is a chronic systemic disease caused by Treponema pallidum. It is called the "great imitator" due to its diverse clinical manifestations. In the classical development of acquired syphilis, three clinical stages are recognized – primary, secondary, and tertiary. The aim of our study is to outline current aspects of the clinical management of the multifaceted disease, through the presentation of a clinical case - secondary syphilis in a man. Material/Methods: The medical documentation was used in strict compliance with the principles of research ethics for access to documentation and confidentiality of information. An analysis of regulatory documents and scientific publications on the discussed problem was applied. Results: We present a clinical case of a 53-year-old man admitted for surgical treatment in the otolaryngology department - for four months with pain when swallowing, rashes on the palms, "sore" on the penis. Of the tests performed, only the serological results for syphilis were positive. Consultations were conducted with an infectious disease specialist and a dermatovenereologist - given the anamnestic, clinical and serological results, the surgical intervention was canceled and a diagnosis of secondary syphilis was made. Antibiotic therapy and serological diagnostics were performed. The patient remains under observation. Conclusions: The true incidence of secondary syphilis is difficult to determine due to the variety of clinical symptoms and diagnostic difficulties. Clinical management - diagnostics, timely treatment and follow-up of this disease with many faces is a problem of interdisciplinary medical nature and great social importance.
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