A Case of Syphilis Probably Transmitted by Abnormal Imposition of Hands / 대한피부과학회지

ABSTRACT

A 28-year-old man presented with a 6.0 * 5.0 cm sized ulcer on the anterior chest and widespread copper-red colored maculopapular eruptions. There was no past or family history of syphilis sign or STS. He had been taken imposition of hands twice to treat chronic hepatitis about 4 months prior to presentation. Thereby, the ulcerative lesion on the anterior chest developed as a result of erosive trauma through contact with infected fingernails. The clinical features and serologic tests as well as biopsy findings were consistent with syphilis. Spirochetes were observed under the dark field examination of the anterior chest lesion. On Warthin-Starry staining, spirochetes were identified in the epidermal area of the papular lesion. We report a case of unusual transmission of syphilis.