Important note: Information in this article was accurate in December 2002. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date. 
According to doctors in Glasgow, Scotland, syphilis may be more aggressive in HIV positive than HIV negative people. The difficulty in diagnosing syphilis is that it can mimic symptoms of many other diseases.
Doctors at the Gartnavel General Hospital in Glasgow recently reported an unusual case of syphilis in an HIV positive male. He was 53 years old and sought medical help after experiencing the following symptoms over a five-week period:
Because of these symptoms he had stopped taking his HAART and Septra (Bactrim) two weeks before visiting the hospital. His CD4+ count was 882 cells and his viral load was 8,500 copies. Results of chest X-rays suggested a lung infection. Blood samples were taken for analysis.
Because of the duration of his symptoms and the result of the chest X-ray, doctors prescribed an intravenous antibiotic, cefotaxime. His condition did not improve. So another antibiotic, Septra, was also given intravenously, but this too didn't have much impact. Five days after entering the hospital, the man's blood tests were available and they were suggestive of syphilis. Treatment was switched to intravenous penicillin G (benzylpenicillin), and as he improved, this was changed to intramuscular injections of Procaine penicillin G (Jenacillin). His doctors warn that in PHAs who have pneumonia as well as rash suggestive of syphilis doctors should suspect syphilis as the cause of the pneumonia.
REFERENCE
Currie A, Bodasing N, Winter A, et al. Secondary syphilis with possible respiratory involvement in an HIV-positive patient. Sixth International Congress on Drug Therapy in HIV Infection, 17-21 November 2002, Glasgow. Poster 257.
20021219
CATE-N20021205
Copyright © 2002 - TreatmentUpdate. Reproduced with permission. Reproduction of this article (other than one copy for personal reference) must be cleared through the Editor, The Canadian AIDS Treatment Information Exchange, 555 Richmond St. West, Suite 505, Box 1104, Toronto, ON, M5V 3B1 • Phone: 416-203-7122 • Toll Free: 1-800-263-1638 • Fax: 416-203-8284 http://www.catie.ca
ÆGiS is made possible through unrestricted grants from Boehringer Ingelheim, iMetrikus, Inc., the National Library of Medicine, and donations from users like you. Always watch for outdated information. This article first appeared in 2002. This material is designed to support, not replace, the relationship that exists between you and your doctor.
ÆGiS presents published material, reprinted with permission and neither endorses nor opposes any material. All information contained on this website, including information relating to health conditions, products, and treatments, is for informational purposes only. It is not meant to be a substitute for the advice provided by your own physician or other medical professionals. Always discuss treatment options with a doctor who specializes in treating HIV.
