Nephrotic Syndrome as an Initial Manifestation of Secondary Syphilis: A Clinical Case

Authors

  • Carolina Roias Hospital do Divino Espírito Santo de Ponta Delgada
  • Marina Oliveira Hospital do Divino Espírito Santo, Ponta Delgada, Açores, Portugal
  • Mariano Pacheco Hospital do Divino Espírito Santo, Ponta Delgada, Açores, Portugal

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.60591/crspmi.361

Keywords:

Nephrotic Syndrome/etiology, Penicillin G/ therapeutic use, Syphilis/complications

Abstract

Syphilis is a systemic disease with highly varied clinical presentations, caused by the spirochete Treponema pallidum. In the secondary stage of the disease, renal involvement can occur, with a prevalence ranging from 0.3% to 0.8%, and it can present in various forms. The association between secondary syphilis and nephrotic syndrome has been documented for several years and may even be the only manifestation of the infectious disease. In the presence of de novo nephrotic-range proteinuria in a patient with known risk factors, syphilis screening should be considered. The following clinical description reports a case of secondary syphilis with renal involvement, presenting initially as nephrotic syndrome.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

References

Aal Hamad A, Al Hadhrami Z, Al Lawati A, Al Busaidi I, Mahmood S. Syphilis-Related Nephropathy: A Rare Manifestation of a Re-emerging Disease. Cureus. 2023 Dec 7;15(12):e50105. doi: 10.7759/cureus.50105.

Yang CC, Chen JY, Chang HY, Sheu MJ, Feng IC, Wang SH, Kuo HT. Cholestatic Hepatitis with Concomitant Nephrotic Syndrome due to Secondary Syphilis in a Young Man. Case Rep Gastroenterol. 2024 Mar 18;18(1):136-143. doi: 10.1159/000537922.

Qi A, Fiset PO, Pilozzi-Edmonds L. Syphilis-related rapidly progressive glomerulonephritis: a case presentation. BMC Nephrol. 2021 May 25;22(1):196. doi: 10.1186/s12882-021-02404-z.

Erlij D, Sepúlveda P. Kidney disease in secondary syphilis: a case report. Enferm Infecc Microbiol Clin (Engl Ed). 2020 Nov 6:S0213-005X(20)30318-9. English, Spanish. doi: 10.1016/j.eimc.2020.09.021.

Ishiwatari A, Hasegawa J, Hoshino Y, Kaga T, Abe Y, Wakai S. Simultaneous nephrotic syndrome and hepatitis in secondary syphilis: case report and review of the literature. CEN Case Rep. 2015 Nov;4(2):223-227. doi: 10.1007/s13730-015-0173-2.

Kasper P, Martin A, Nierhoff D, Goeser T. Cholestatic hepatitis with concomitant nephrotic syndrome due to late syphilis in an immunocompetent 32-year-old man. BMJ Case Rep. 2020 Feb 5;13(2):e232615. doi: 10.1136/bcr-2019-232615.

Coccia CBI, Makambwa E, Jackson CN, Chetty DR, Said-Hartley Q, Symons G. A case of secondary syphilis manifesting as a pulmonary pseudo-tumour with nephrotic syndrome. Afr J Thorac Crit Care Med. 2021 Jun 23;27(2):10.7196/AJTCCM.2021.v27i2.065. doi: 10.7196/AJTCCM.2021.v27i2.065.

Canney M, Liu E, Vonthethoff L, Weatherall C, Ong S. Nephrotic syndrome and hepatitis due to acquired syphilis: an uncommon presentation of a re-emerging disease. NDT Plus. 2011 Feb;4(1):67-70. doi: 10.1093/ndtplus/sfq194.

Handoko ML, Duijvestein M, Scheepstra CG, de Fijter CW. Syphilis: a reversible cause of nephrotic syndrome. BMJ Case Rep. 2013 Feb 8;2013:bcr2012008279. doi: 10.1136/bcr-2012-008279.

Shibutani K, Ishikawa K, Kawai F, Mori N. Syphilis and nephrotic syndrome: A case report and literature review. IDCases. 2024 Jun 28;37:e02016. doi: 10.1016/j.idcr.2024.e02016.

Janeiro S, Fernandes AM, Lopes P, Pedroso E. Secondary syphilis: a rare cause of nephrotic syndrome. BMJ Case Rep.

Published

01-08-2025

How to Cite

Roias, C., Oliveira, M., & Pacheco, M. (2025). Nephrotic Syndrome as an Initial Manifestation of Secondary Syphilis: A Clinical Case. SPMI Case Reports, 3(2), 59–61. https://doi.org/10.60591/crspmi.361