Bilateral chancre of the tongue: An unusual presentation of primary syphilis
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Updated: Aug 6, 2025

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Published on: March 1, 2024
Sushma Singh1, Kavita Poonia1, Shivani Bansal1
1Department of Dermatology, Venereology and Leprology, AIIMS Bathinda, Chandigarh, India.
Abstract:
Syphilis is a sexually transmitted infectious disease caused by the spirochete bacterium Treponema pallidum. A characteristic lesion of primary syphilis is chancre. It can develop over genital or extra genital sites, depending on the site of contact with the infectious agent. Cases of oral syphilis have been on the rise in the previous two decades, probably because of the involvement of the oral cavity in sexual practices. We here report an unusual case of primary syphilis who presented with a painless indurated oral ulcer over the lateral borders of the tongue.
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