Syphilitic Aortitis Mimicking Takayasu’s Arteritis

Anna Sophia Pörings, Bernd Salzberger, Lothar Veits, Boris Ehrenstein, Wolfgang Hartung, Martin Fleck

Department of Internal Medicine I, University Medical Center, Regensburg, Germany.
Department of Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology, Asklepios Medical Center, Bad Abbach, Germany.
Department of Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology, Asklepios Medical Center, Bad Abbach, Germany Department of Internal Medicine I, University Medical Center, Regensburg, Germany.
Department ofPathology, Klinikum Bayreuth, Bayreuth, Germany.

DOI: 10.4236/crcm.2014.38100                

Abstract

SIR, Syphilis is a sexually-transmitted infectious disease caused by the bacteria Treponemapallidum. A characteristic manifestation of the third stage is arteritis of the aorta, which leads to necrosis and loss of tissue. Here, we report on a 48-year-old woman admitted with suspected Takayasu’s arteritis (TA) due to localized inflammation confined to the aortic root and valve, which could be diagnosed as syphilitic aortitis.

Keywords

Vasculitis, Syphilis, Takayasu’s Arteritis

Conflicts of Interest

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

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