[Syphilitic aortitis. Experience of an internal medicine unit]

Infectious aortitis remains a rare disease. It is characterized by an endarteritis of infectious origin generally followed by the development of a so called mycotic aneurysm. Those infectious aneurysms account for 0.5 to 1.3% of all aortic aneurysms. Of the infectious agents, Treponema pallidum has a particular place. Cardiovascular syphilitic infection was very common at the beginning of the XX(th) century with a prevalence of 6.9% of all autopsies. In 1950-1960, the prevalence had decreased to less than 1%. Since 1990, syphilis was considered as disappeared.

we report syphilitic aortitis in four patients. Diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis are detailed.

A syphilitic infection of the aorta should be looked for in every patient suffering from an inflammatory or infectious disease of aorta.