Congenital Syphilis: An Uncommon Cause of Gross Hematuria, Skin Rash, and Pneumonia

Abstract

Although congenital syphilis can be prevented with prenatal screening, the disease remains problematic. Currently, there are no cases that describe hematuria and pneumonia related to congenital syphilis. We report a case of congenital syphilis that involved nephrotic syndrome and pneumonia alba in a 22-day-old male infant whose mother did not receive adequate prenatal care. The congenital syphilis diagnosis was confirmed with a serologic test and the patient recovered with penicillin treatment. Clinical findings may be subtle in neonates and delayed recognition occurs frequently, thus complete prenatal screening is critical for congenital syphilis prevention. Immediate serologic testing should be performed to obtain a differential diagnosis if an infant is delivered by a mother that has not received appropriate prenatal examinations.

Congenital Syphilis Presenting with Only Nephrotic Syndrome: Reemergence of a Forgotten Disease

“…Eradication of the antigen after anti-syphilitic therapy may result in prompt disappearance of renal abnormalities and their non-recurrence ( 14 ). In a recent year, Shim et al ( 15 ) reported the CS infant with NS, however, the baby had typical skin lesion such as maculopapular rash, and desquamation. Although our patient fulfilled the criteria for congenial syphilitic nephropathy with unequivocal evidence of CS in the patient, evidence of syphilis in the mother, absence of any other etiology for CNS ( 14 ), he had no other symptoms of syphilis.…”