Pharyngeal Manifestation of Syphilis

Background: Syphilis is a sexually transmitted disease caused by Treponema pallidum . There has been a recent increase in prevalence (14.4% new cases reported from 2017 to 2018) in the U.S. in recent years. Objective: To present a case of syphilitic pharyngitis, along with data from the literature. Case Report: A 40-year-old man presented with a 1-month history of sore throat and non-ulcerated white plaques in a butterfly shape distributed over the posterior oropharynx, uvula, and tonsils. No lymphadenopathy, skin, or genital lesions were present. Diagnostic workup included bacterial throat culture (normal flora), biopsy of lesions (lymphoplasmacytic infiltration), and T pallidum hemagglutination assay positivity. The rapid plasma reagin level was 122.4, which was an oral manifestation of secondary syphilis. Conclusions: Syphilis has been termed the “great imitator,” as it can clinically and histologically mimic various diseases of infectious, neoplastic, and immune-mediated etiology more...