<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><p> Lues maligna is a rare ulcerative form of secondary syphilis. This clinical entity is predominantly found in patients living with HIV or AIDS. We report a case of a 32-year-old homosexual man with diffuse non-pruritic, papular skin lesions, ulcerated nodules and plaques disseminated on the face, trunk and extremities. The rash was followed by fever, malaise and joint pains. Serological tests for syphilis were positive. The patient was treated with intramuscular penicillin and the lesions resolved completely. Lues maligna was an initial presentation of underlying HIV infection. The HIV seropositivity was confirmed by Western blot analysis. Due to the increased number of syphilis cases and frequent HIV co-infection in Serbia, dermatologists must be able to recognize this condition based on clinical characteristics and risk factors and to diagnose and treat it promptly.</p></abstract>

Lues maligna is a rare ulcerative form of secondary syphilis. This clinical entity is predominantly found in patients living with HIV or AIDS. We report a case of a 32-year-old homosexual man with diffuse non-pruritic, papular skin lesions, ulcerated nodules and plaques disseminated on the face, trunk and extremities. The rash was followed by fever, malaise and joint pains. Serological tests for syphilis were positive. The patient was treated with intramuscular penicillin and the lesions resolved completely. Lues maligna was an initial presentation of underlying HIV infection. The HIV seropositivity was confirmed by Western blot analysis. Due to the increased number of syphilis cases and frequent HIV co-infection in Serbia, dermatologists must be able to recognize this condition based on clinical characteristics and risk factors and to diagnose and treat it promptly.

Lues Maligna as an Initial Presentation of Underlying HIV Infection in a Homosexual Man

Serbian Journal of Dermatology and Venereology

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Lues maligna is a rare ulcerative form of secondary syphilis. This clinical entity is predominantly found in patients living with HIV or AIDS. We report a case...

Lues Maligna as an Initial Presentation of Underlying HIV Infection in a Homosexual Man

Published Online: May 11, 2018

Page range: 159 - 162

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1515/sjdv-2017-0018

© 2018

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 License.