Congenital Syphilis Presenting with Only Nephrotic Syndrome: Reemergence of a Forgotten Disease

ABSTRACT

Syphilis infection has re-emerged after years of declining incidence. The prevalence of congenital syphilis (CS) has increased in Korea and other countries during the last few decades. Untreated infants develop symptoms such as rhinorrhea, anemia, jaundice, cutaneous lesions, hepatosplenomegaly, and pseudoparalysis within weeks or months. Significant renal disease is uncommon in CS, and clinical renal involvement varies from mild transient proteinuria to frank nephrosis. We report a 2-month-old infant with CS who presented with only nephrotic syndrome (NS). The previously healthy infant presented with NS and showed no other syphilitic manifestations. Remission of the NS was achieved with adequate penicillin treatment. No recurrence of proteinuria was observed during the 1 year of follow-up. Although rare, this long forgotten disease continues to affect pregnant women, resulting in prenatal or postnatal mortality. We still consider the possibility of syphilitic nephropathy and therefore serologic testing for congenital NS.