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Updated: Jul 18, 2026

Procedures for In Vitro Cultivation of Treponema pallidum, the Syphilis Spirochete
Published on: January 24, 2025
[A case of papillitis revealing primary syphilis]
S B'chir Hamzaoui1, Z Znagui, H Farah
1Service de Médecine Interne, Hôpital Mongi-Slim, 2047 Sidi-Daoud, La Marsa, Tunisie. ali.harmel@rns.tn
Objective:
Syphilitic ocular manifestations are polymorphous and usually occur during the secondary or tertiary stage of syphilis. We report a case of primary syphilis revealed by papillitis.
Design:
A 22 year old man presented with blurred vision in the left eye and decreased visual acuity. Fundus examination and fluorescein angiography revealed a papilledema in the left eye and chorioretinitis in the right one. Clinical examination revealed a painless ulceration of the chin. Blood tests were positive for syphilis (positive reaction to the VDRL test and TPHA titer at 1/640) but negative for HIV. After penicillin therapy, the ocular manifestations resolved.
Results:
Papillitis is a relatively rare ocular manifestation of syphilis. Our case is original because papillitis was the presenting manifestation of the disease and that it was concomitant with the primary chancre.
Conclusion:
Systematic screening for syphilis should be performed in unexplained ocular inflammation.
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Acute Pharyngitis
Acute pharyngitis is the inflammation of the back of the throat (pharynx), commonly resulting in a sore throat. It is a frequently encountered condition that prompts individuals to seek medical advice.
Classification
Acute pharyngitis can be categorized based on its underlying cause:
Poliomyelitis
Pulmonary Tuberculosis III
The first classification is based on the development of the disease, and it includes the following categories:
