Erosive gastritis as a manifestation of secondary syphilis

In a case of secondary syphilis with gastric involvement, the clinical history and roentgenographic and gastroscopic examiniations initially suggested an infiltrative malignant neoplasm. However, macroscopic and histologic examination of the partial gastrectomy specimen demonstrated an erosive, inflammatory lesion. Subsequently, numerous Treponema pallida were demonstrated in formalin-fixed eroded gastric mucosa by silver impregnation and fluorescent antibody technics. Although the true incidence of syphilitic gastritis is unknown, it may occur commonly during the secondary stage of syphilis and should be considered in the differential diagnosis of diffuse erosive gastritides and infiltrative lesions of the stomach.