The Signs and Symptoms of Secondary Syphilis

Abstract

The signs and symptoms of 105 patients with secondary syphilis (Treponema pallidum) were evaluated in a clinic for treatment of sexually transmissible diseases. The symptoms were, in order of decreasing frequency, pruritus, 44 patients; sore throat, 16; headache, 9; muscle aches, 9; fever, 5; meningismus, 3; loss of scalp hair, 3; loss of appetite, 2; loss of weight, 2; and visual disturbances, 1. The dominant morphologic characteristics of the lesions, in order of decreasing frequency, were maculopapular, 73 patients; papular, 13; macular, 10; annular papular, 6; papulopustular, 2; and psoriasiform papular, 1. Almost 1/4 of the patients were not aware that they had mucocutaneous lesions, and > 20% of patients had inconspicuous lesions. Distributions and morphologic features of the lesions of 8 patients (7.6%) suggested other dermatoses.