[Atypical acute syphilitic posterior placoid chorioretinitis]

Ophthalmologe. 2017 Jun;114(6):563-566. doi: 10.1007/s00347-016-0327-4.
[Article in German]

Abstract

Syphilis is an infectious disease that can cause a wide variety of ocular signs. One of the rarest manifestations of ocular syphilis is acute syphilitic posterior placoid chorioretinitis (ASPPC). We report the case of an immunocompetent 38-year-old woman diagnosed with unilateral, atypical, acute syphilitic posterior placoid chorioretinitis. Fundoscopic examination revealed a yellow-white, subretinal, placoid lesion at the posterior pole, which is typical sign of ASPPC. In the periphery of the retina, multifocal choroiditis was also found. Fundus and angiographic changes in ASPPC may mimic other chorioretinal diseases. Accurate diagnosis of ASPPC as a presenting sign of syphilis is important for the prompt initiation of systemic antibiotic treatment.

Keywords: Fluorescein angiography; Indocyanine green angiography; Optical coherence tomography; Retina; Syphilis.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Anti-Bacterial Agents / therapeutic use
  • Chorioretinitis / diagnostic imaging*
  • Chorioretinitis / drug therapy
  • Chorioretinitis / microbiology
  • Diagnosis, Differential
  • Eye Infections, Bacterial / diagnostic imaging*
  • Eye Infections, Bacterial / microbiology
  • Female
  • Fluorescein Angiography / methods*
  • Humans
  • Penicillins / therapeutic use
  • Rare Diseases / diagnosis
  • Rare Diseases / drug therapy
  • Rare Diseases / microbiology
  • Syphilis / diagnosis*
  • Syphilis / drug therapy
  • Syphilis / microbiology
  • Tomography, Optical Coherence / methods*
  • Treatment Outcome

Substances

  • Anti-Bacterial Agents
  • Penicillins