[A case of papillitis revealing primary syphilis].

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.