A case of the human immunodeficiency virus type 1-infected patient presented as a syphilitic papillitis / 대한내과학회지

ABSTRACT

The number of HIV infection is increasing nowadays, and some infectious diseases complicated in HIV- infected hosts reveal different clinical features from those well known from the past. Syphilis seems to show more rapid disease progression and many clinical features in HIV-infected hosts. We experienced a HIV-infected patient who had presented as syphilitic papillitis. A 42-year old man complaining of decreased visual acuity and eye ball redness was referred to our medical center. He had a history of recurrent uveitis for past 3 months, which was refractory to the conventional therapy. The patient was confirmed as having HIV-1 infection and syphilitic papillitis. He was treated with penicillin G 2.4 million units intramuscularly weekly for 6 weeks and anti-retroviral agents. However, ocular symptoms for syphilis recurred two months later, and the patient was retreated with the same regimen and cured.