ABSTRACT
Objective To analyze the clinical manifestations and treatment of acquired syphilis in children.Methods A retrospective analysis was conducted.The clinical data on 14 patients with acquired syphilis collected from July 2007 to December 2010 were assessed.Results Among the 14 cases,10 were secondary syphilis,2 early latent syphilis,and 2 late latent syphilis.Seven of the patients had been misdiagnosed as other diseases.All the patients had a history of close contact with syphilis patients or having mouth-to-mouth feeding history after chewing food by adult patients with syphilis.Both rapid plasma reagin (RPR) test and Treponema pallidum haemagglutination assay (TPHA) were positive in all the patients.The skin lesions were mainly located in the oral cavity mucosa and rarely in the trunk,which included leukoplakia,mucosal wet papules,and pustules.Conclusions Acquired syphilis in children is often clinically misdiagnosed or ignored.For children presenting with atypical skin rashes,especially for those having close contact with active syphilis patients,acquired syphilis should be suspected.
ABSTRACT
Objective To retrospectively assess the clinical manifestations and treatment of secondary syphilis with ocular impairment as the initial symptom. Methods Clinical data were retrospectively analyzed on secondary syphilis with ocular impairment as the initial symptom collected from September 1998 to October 2008. Results There were 11 syphilitic patients presenting acute ocular impairment as their initial manifestation. Skin eruptions developed simultaneously with ocular impairment in 2 patients, following ocular impairment in 9 patients. All patients were positive for rapid plasma reagent test (RPR) and treponema pallidum haemagglutination assay (TPHA), but negative for HIV. Of these patients, 9 suffered from uveitis (iridocyclitis, choroiditis or panuveitis), 2 from optic neuritis; 3 had unilateral ocular involvement, 8 had bilateral ocular involvement. After treatment with injected penicillin or ceftriaxone sodium, 9 patients experienced complete visual recovery, 2 partial visual recovery. Conclusions Ocular impairment occurs in patients with secondary syphilis at a low incidence, with no characteristic clinical manifestations. For patients who have no response to conventional ocular therapy, ocular syphilis should be considered and serological examination for syphilis is recommended.
ABSTRACT
Objective To assess the clinical presentations and treatment of neurosyphilis with mania as the first manifestation. Methods A retrospective study was performed. Clinical data on neurosyphilis patients with mania as the first manifestation collected from July 2009 to June 2010 were analyzed. Results Twenty cases of neurosyphilis were included in this study, which were all misdiagnosed as schizophrenia, anxiety,cerebral infarction, etc. All the patients had manic symptoms at onset, such as irritability, bad temper, impulsive behavior, disturbance in thinking, and so on. Some patients also suffered from a marked decrease in memory, calculation and cognitive ability. Rapid plasma reagin (RPR) test, Treponema pallidum hemagglutination (TPHA)test and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) venereal disease research laboratory (VDRL) test were positive in all the patients. Varying degrees of symptomatic improvement was achieved after anti-syphilis and anti-psychotic treatment. CSF was retested in 13 patients 3 months after the end of treatment, and CSF VDRL titer decreased in 10 patients, remained unchanged in 2 patients, and turned negative in 1 patient. Conclusions Neurosyphilis lacks distinctive clinical characteristics. For patients with poor response to conventional antipsychotic therapy,neurosyphilis should be considered, and serology and cerebrospinal fluid tests for syphilis are warranted.
ABSTRACT
Objective To analyze the phenotypes of lymphocytes in cerebrospinal fluid derived from the patients with neurosyphilis. Methods Samples of cerebrospinal fluid from 12 patients with neurosyphilis and 20 patients with latent syphilis were collected and analyzed by flow cytometry for CD4 and CD25 expression. Results There was a significant increase in the number of white blood cells in the cerebrospinal fluid of patients with neurosyphilis. FACS analysis showed that most leukocytes were lymphocytes predominated with CD4 + T cells in neurosyphilis patients which were almost 4 times more than that in latent syphilis. However, there was a significant decrease in the proportion of CD4+ CD25high regulatory T cells (Tr) in neurosyphilis patients compared with that in latent syphilis patients. Conclusion A dramatic increase in CD4+ T cell frequency suggested its pathogenic role in neurosyphilis, whereas a decrease in CD25high Tr frequency indicated that CD4 + CD25high Tr cells might play an important role in immune homeostasis of central nervous system.
ABSTRACT
Objective To investigate the expression of Th1/Th2 cytoki nes in early symptomatic syphilitic lesions and its relationship with the sero-c onversion of RPR test in patients with syphilis. Methods The expression of Th1/Th2 cytokines in lesions from 30 patients with early symptomatic syphilis was i mmunohistochemically detected with ABC method. The serum titers of RPR test in t hese patients were measured in 1, 3, 6, 9 and 12 months after routine benzathine penicillin treatment. Results Among 10 cases of primary syphilis, the express ion of both Th1 and Th2 cytokines in the lesions was found in 9 cases, while onl y Th1 cytokine expression was observed in the remainder case; and the sero-conve rsion of RPR test occurred in all 10 cases during the follow-up period. Among 20 cases of secondary syphilis, Th1/Th2 cytokines expressed in the lesions in 16 c ases, and only Th2 cytokines expressed in 4 cases; and the sero-conversion of RP R test was found in 12 cases during the follow-up period. The expression of Th1 cytokines in early syphilitic lesions was positively correlated with the sero-co nversion of RPR test. The higher the expression of IFN- the more likely the s ero-conversion of RPR test. Conclusion The early activation and persistence of the expression of Th1 cytokines may play an important role in the clearance of pathogens.
ABSTRACT
<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To assess the effectiveness of an educational intervention program in sexually transmitted disease (STD) and condom-related knowledge and promoting condom use among STD patients.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>STD clinic patients were randomly assigned to three groups (A, control group; B, video viewing group; group C, video viewing plus education with talk) after administered with baseline questionnaire. Each patient was then scheduled to complete the questionnaire regarding the change of STD knowledge and use of condom in two weeks and 3 months.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Six hundred and forty-eight patients entered the study. More than half of the patients were aware of STD-related knowledge. However the rate of condom use was very low. When having intercourse with the casual sexual partners the percentage of condom use was only 20%. Seventeen per cent of the patients knew nothing about how to use condom correctly. Follow up results showed that the education program increased the knowledge about STD to some degree. However the percentage of condom use in the latest sexual intercourse increased greatly both in intervention and control groups, but more in intervention groups (P < 0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>STD education should be focused on advocating and correcting condom use.</p>
Subject(s)
Adult , Female , Humans , Male , Condoms , Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice , Health Promotion , Methods , Patient Education as Topic , Methods , Sexually Transmitted Diseases , Videotape RecordingABSTRACT
PurposeTo evaluate HBV and HCV infection among high risk sexual behavior group and the relationship between them. Methods173 cases were investigated at the STD outpatient departnent of Huashan Hospital. The questionarie measured sexual risk factors including age, the number of lifetime sex partners, the number of sex partners in recent three months, the age of first intercourse, the history of STD, the style of sexual behavior. HBV-DNA and HCV-RNA were detected by PCR. Patients who had past history of drug abuse or blood transfusion were excluded. ResultsHCV positive rate was higher in high risk group, especially in STD patients, and was positively related with STD history. Having sexual intercourse more than four partners in the last three months is the risk factor in getting HBV or HCV infection HBV and HCV infection are most commonly seen in syphilis people. Conclusions HCV infection is more oftenly seen among STD patients and people with multiple sex partners. Thus the sexual behavior way may play an important role in the transmission of HBV and HCV.
ABSTRACT
Objective To investigate if corticosteroid could influence periphe ral blood CD3＋、 CD4＋ and CD8＋ cells in secondary syphilis and the prognosis of syphilis. Methods CD3＋、 CD4＋、 CD8＋ cells were detected in 11 patients wh o took corticosteroid and 20 patients who did not. The effects on the therapeuti c effect of lesions were observed. Results The levels of CD3＋ and CD4＋ in peri pheral blood were significantly lower in corticosteroid group than those in cont rols. The proportion of patients whose RPR test turned to negative and lesions c ured was significantly lower in corticosteroid group than those in controls with in the first three months after treatment. Conclusion Corticosteroid administrat ion decreases the levels of CD3＋ and CD4＋ in secondary syphilis and therefore influence the prognosis of syphilis.