IADR Abstract Archives
Syphilis the Great Immitator : Oral Manifestations.
Objectives: Syphilis is an infectious disease caused by Treponema pallidum, which is usually sexually transmitted with oral manifestations. In early 2000s syphilis became a very uncommon disease, but nowadays its incidence has increased significantly. Thus, dentists should be aware of the common manifestations of this disease in the oral cavity for the purpose of achieving early diagnosis.
Methods: The presentation of three cases with intraoral manifestations of syphilis, the diagnostic procedure and the management were described.
Results: We present three patients with oral lesions pointing to syphilis. The cases were 3 males, 50, 27 and 34 years old. The oral lesions which recorded were multiple whitish plaques, a persistent elongated ulcer on the labial mucosa, and an oval, well circumscribed ulcer on the mucosa of the hard palate respectively. All cases were positive for serological test that were requested (VDRL, RPR, FTA-ABS). Among them VDRL and RPR are just indicative tests and FTA-ABS is confirmative test. A single case was also positive for anti–HIV-1 and anti-HIV-2 tests. In the first case the incisional biopsy that was performed revealed non-specific inflammatory process characterized by plasma-cell and perivascular infiltration.
Conclusions: Oral manifestations of syphilis are variable and occasionally not specific, that imitates various diseases. As far as it emerges in the oral cavity, it is crucial for the dental clinicians to be informed of this disease and its manifestations in order to reach early diagnosis and therapy. Although. biopsy is unnecessary, as its results are non-pathognomonic it could be indicative for the disease. Diagnosis is based on medical history and specific serological tests.
Methods: The presentation of three cases with intraoral manifestations of syphilis, the diagnostic procedure and the management were described.
Results: We present three patients with oral lesions pointing to syphilis. The cases were 3 males, 50, 27 and 34 years old. The oral lesions which recorded were multiple whitish plaques, a persistent elongated ulcer on the labial mucosa, and an oval, well circumscribed ulcer on the mucosa of the hard palate respectively. All cases were positive for serological test that were requested (VDRL, RPR, FTA-ABS). Among them VDRL and RPR are just indicative tests and FTA-ABS is confirmative test. A single case was also positive for anti–HIV-1 and anti-HIV-2 tests. In the first case the incisional biopsy that was performed revealed non-specific inflammatory process characterized by plasma-cell and perivascular infiltration.
Conclusions: Oral manifestations of syphilis are variable and occasionally not specific, that imitates various diseases. As far as it emerges in the oral cavity, it is crucial for the dental clinicians to be informed of this disease and its manifestations in order to reach early diagnosis and therapy. Although. biopsy is unnecessary, as its results are non-pathognomonic it could be indicative for the disease. Diagnosis is based on medical history and specific serological tests.