Uncommon complications of early syphilis. Hepatitis, periostitis, iritis with papillitis, and meningitis.

Abstract

For over 20 years Great Britain has experienced an incidence of syphilis which is remarkably low com- pared with that in many countries of comparable liv- ing standards, and the less frequent complications of secondary syphilis of the pre-war era have become uncommon to the point of rarity. Four cases of early syphilis with unusual manifestations seen at St. Bartholomew's Hospital in recent years are described. Case 1. Hepatitis A homosexual publican aged 43 years was ad- mitted to the medical ward in July, 1965; he had developed anorexia and skin irritation 2 weeks previously. He noticed that his urine was dark, and a few days later he became jaundiced. He had no abdominal pain, but he vomited occasionally and had lost some weight. There was no recent history of ingestion of drugs, treatment by injection or transfusion, or contact with chemicals, nor had he been abroad. He admitted to regular heavy consumption of spirits. In 1952, when he was under investigation for a suspected prolapsed intervertebral disc, the Wassermann reaction had proved negative.