Abstract

AMBOU FRUTOS, Isabel et al. Syphilitic uveitis associated with the human immunodeficiency virus. Rev Cubana Oftalmol [online]. 2015, vol.28, n.4. ISSN 0864-2176.

Syphilis is a chronic and multisystemic infection, caused by Treponema Pallidum spirochetes. The ocular manifestations of syphilis are varied and may affect all the ocular structures, being uveítis the most common type of ocular effect. It can appear in the secondary, latent or tertiary phase and in a bilateral form in 50% of the cases, it may be associated with the human immunodeficiency virus. Since the introduction of the highly active antiretroviral therapy, AIDS-associated mortality lowered whereas the incidence of syphilis and other sexually transmitted diseases increased as a result of the rise of homosexual population. Due to their great variety in the ways of presentation, syphilis is known as the great simulator and is part of the differential diagnosis of any kind of uveitis. Here is the case of a 64 year-old male patient who went to the Emergency Service, because he felt blurred vision in his right eye for 45 days approximately. Additionally, he presented with eye reddening, pain and discomfort when looking into the light; finally he was diagnosed as human immunodeficiency virus -associated syphilitic uveitis case.

Keywords : human immunodeficiency virus; syphilis; uveitis.

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