[Primary syphilis with initial lower-lip sclerosis--a case report]

We report a case of primary syphilis with initial lower-lip sclerosis. 54-year-old man seen for a left lower-lip lesion was found in serological testing to have elevated syphilis-rapid plasma regain (STS-RPR) and treponema pallidum lipid antigen (TPLA), diagnosed as primary syphilis. Following four weeks of 1500 mg/day amoxicillin administration, the lesion had almost disappeared. Serological data had improved to within the negative range six months after antibiotic treatment started. This case underscores the need to recognize syphilis of the lip even in the outpatient setting.