A case of congenital syphilis with Hutchinson′s triad

Abstract

Late congenital syphilis is a rare entity and its early diagnosis and treatment is essential to prevent significant morbidity. We are reporting a case of late congenital syphilis presenting with Hutchinson's triad at an age of 14 years.

A Case of Congenital Syphilis Presenting with Unusual Skin Eruptions

“…Congenital syphilis is arbitrarily divided into early and late congenital syphilis. The former has onset of clinical manifestations before 2 years of age while the latter has onset of clinical manifestations after 2 years of age (usually manifesting around puberty) [ 5 , 7 , 9 ]. Although the majority of infants with congenital syphilis are asymptomatic at birth, among symptomatic ones, clinical manifestations of early congenital syphilis include skin rash, snuffles, jaundice, hepatomegaly with or without splenomegaly, fever, generalized lymphadenopathy, and failure to thrive [ 5 , 7 , 8 ].…”

“…Clinical manifestations of late congenital syphilis include perioral fissures (rhagades), saddle nose deformity, frontal bossing, Hutchinson's triad (peg-shaped, notched, widely spaced permanent upper central incisors; interstitial keratitis; and the eighth cranial nerve deafness), multicusped first molars (mulberry molars), mental retardation, perforation of the hard palate, prognathism, painless effusion of knees (Clutton joints), thickening of sternoclavicular joint (Higoumenakis sign), scaphoid scapula, and anterior bowing of shins (saber shins) [ 5 , 7 , 9 , 12 ].…”

A tryst with a dysmorphic parturient with congenital syphilis

“…The classical stigmata of syphilis are Hutchinson's incisors, interstitial keratitis, 8 th nerve deafness, anterior bowing of mid portion of tibia (sabre shins), forehead prominence, otitis media, saddle nose and corneal opacities. [ 2 ] Gummas involving nose, septum and hard palate are characteristic of late congenital syphilis. [ 3 ] They can cause palatal destruction and perforation.…”

STD-Related sexual and gynaecological issues, including lesions of the genital organs and oral cavity

“…It must be remembered that oral manifestation of syphilis may also occur in children with congenital infection [27][28]. Children at or older than 2 years of age, who acquired the infection trans-placentally, may develop the oral symptoms of latent syphilis, including blunted upper incisor teeth known as Hutchinson's teeth, hard palate defects, and overgrowth of the mandible [28,37]. Cases with poor symptomatology can be diagnosed with a delay of many years based on Hutchinson's triad consisting of notched Hutchinson's incisors, interstitial keratitis, and eighth cranial nerve deafness [37].…”