MUCOCUTANEOUS TERTIARY SYPHILIS

On the basis of two new cases of cutaneous mucosal tertiary syphilis a nd a personal series of 30 cases observed at the University Hospital o f Rabat and Casablanca from 1963 to 1980, we reviewed the clinical pre sentations of this disease. Late stage syphilis has not disappeared an d appears to be increasing over the last decade. Lesions of the nervou s system are increasingly reported in atypical often unrecognized form s. Cutaneous mucosal tertiary syphilis is very rare and little known a nd can take on the form of skin lesions suggesting tuberculosis, deep mycosis, sarcoidosis, leprosy or leishmaniasis. Based on our experienc e, we recall the variety of clinical presentations including superfici al nodules and deep gommas leading to atrophic and rarely hypertrophic scars. The diagnosis relies essentially on the serology results which are always positive at a significant level. The pathology examination adds no essential information. Rapid response to treatment is one of the important criteria of the diagnosis of syphilis.