Gummatous mitral valve endocarditis from tertiary syphilis.
Year: 2025
Type: article
Study design: Case Report
Abstract: particle agglutination (TPPA) was positive at 1 : 1280, and rapid plasma reagin (RPR) 1 : 4 treponemal IgM was negative; lumbar puncture syphilis serology was negative. The patient was treated with an extensive period of intravenous antibiotics, in addition to a prosthetic metallic valve replacement, where unusual ragged calcified valvular tissue was observed. Tertiary syphilis is a difficult diagnosis to confirm, since it can often be indolent and occur in areas of the body where it may go unnoticed. In our case, a diagnosis of probable syphilitic endocarditis was made from a combination of the history, an initial increase in the size of the lesion following antibiotic therapy and observation of likely gumma on the mitral valve during surgery. In such cases, surgery in addition to optimal antimicrobial therapy is necessary for effective treatment. This case adds to the current literature that treatment with penicillin is likely inadequate to prevent late complications.
Source: PubMed
Authors: Nisha George, Daniel Pan, Shirley Sze, Caroline Williams, Zein El-Dean, Victor Zlocha, Elizabeth Webb, Manish Pareek
Language: English
Subfield: Epidemiology
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W4412618548