"Seronegative" Syphilis in AIDS

Letters15 March 1991"Seronegative" Syphilis in AIDSAlicia Zalka, BA, Marc E. Grossman, MD, David N. Silvers, MDAlicia Zalka, BASearch for more papers by this author, Marc E. Grossman, MDSearch for more papers by this author, David N. Silvers, MDSearch for more papers by this authorAuthor, Article, and Disclosure Informationhttps://doi.org/10.7326/0003-4819-114-6-521_2 SectionsAboutPDF ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack CitationsPermissions ShareFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditEmail ExcerptTo the Editors:Several articles have recently been published reporting what has been called "seronegative" secondary syphilis in HIV-infected persons. We question the terminology used. On close inspection of these reports, what is being labeled "seronegative" secondary syphilis might more accudvrately be termed delayed conversion to seropositivity. In the case report by Hicks and colleagues (1) and in a letter by Strobel and coworkers (2), HIV-infected patients with histologically diagnosed secondary syphilis failed to show reactive serologic results with initial VDRL testing. In each case, however, with repeated VDRL studies, seropositivity later developed. Although Hicks describes this as "seronegative" secondary...References1. HicksBensonLuptonTramont CPGE. Seronegative secondary syphilis in a patient infected with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) with Kaposi's sarcoma. Ann Intern Med. 1987;107:492-5. LinkGoogle Scholar2. StrobelBeauclairLaCave MPJ. Seronegative syphilis during the course of AIDS [Letter]. La Presse Med. 1989;18:1440. MedlineGoogle Scholar3. GregorySanchezBuchness NMM. The spectrum of syphilis in patients with human immunodeficiency virus infection. J Am Acad Dermatol. 1990;22:1061-7. CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar4. Larsen S. Serologic reactions when syphilis and HIV occur as coinfections. CAP Today. 1989;October:36-9. Google Scholar This content is PDF only. To continue reading please click on the PDF icon. Author, Article, and Disclosure InformationAffiliations: PreviousarticleNextarticle Advertisement FiguresReferencesRelatedDetails Metrics Cited BySeronegative secondary syphilis in an HIV-infected patientHuman herpesvirus 6 and cytomegalovirus infections in children with human immunodeficiency virus infection and cancerSYPHILISAtypical Lyme borreliosis in an HIV-infected manSeroconversion to Antibodies against Kaposi's Sarcoma–Associated Herpesvirus–Related Latent Nuclear Antigens before the Development of Kaposi's SarcomaSexually Transmitted Diseases of the Vulva 15 March 1991Volume 114, Issue 6Page: 521-522KeywordsAIDSSyphilis Issue Published: 15 March 1991 PDF DownloadLoading ...