Assessment of syphilis in patients hospitalized in the Department of Dermatology, Venerelogy and Allergology in Wroclaw between 2009 and 2016
Abstract
Introduction: Syphilis is the systemic infectious disease caused by Treponema pallidum. It is a chronic process and has very rich symptomatology. Infection is possible by sexual contacts, bloodstream or transplacental.
Objective: The aim of our study was an objective analysis of the population infected by Treponema palladium based on medical documentation.
Material and methods: It was a retrospective analysis of medical documentation of the patients who were treated between 2009 and 2016 because of syphilis in the Department of Dermatology Venereology and Allergology in Wroclaw. A specially designed questionnaire consisting of questions about demographic data, medical history and present disease was completed. A total of 69 patients (43 men (62.3%) and 26 women (37.7%) (including 15 pregnant women)) were recruited for the study.
Results: Patients infected with syphilis belonged to various epidemiological groups. Early syphilis was diagnosed in 50.7% (n = 35) of patients, late syphilis in 46.4% (n = 32), whereas congenital syphilis was found in 2.9% (n = 2) of subjects. Regarding early syphilis, primary syphilis was observed in 17.1%, secondary syphilis in 54.3% whereas latent syphilis was found in 28.6% of patients. Latent late syphilis accounted for 81.2% of late syphilis cases, others manifested symptomatic late syphilis (18.8%). The primary lesions were observed by 29% of patients: 10 subjects found it on the penis, 4 in the oral cavity, 3 in the anus and 3 on the labia. Remarkably, 71% of patients did not notice the primary chancre. Syphilitic exanthema was observed by 39% of patients, condylomata lata by 2 patients, syphilitic angina by 3 persons, and syphilitic alopecia by 1 person. Recurrent febrile status was found in 4 patients.
Conclusions: Sexually transmitted diseases, especially syphilis, are still a very important medical problem. Despite the common access to penicillin, which allows to cure these disease, it appears that syphilis is still quite prevalent disease. To limit spreading of syphilis an early diagnosis, assurance of treatment and more widely distributed prevention programs are necessary.
Keywords: syphilisclinical characteristicssexually transmitted diseasestreatment
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