A Case of Misdiagnosed Cervical Syphilis

Abstract Syphilis is a chronic, systemic sexually transmitted disease caused by Treponema pallidum. This article reports a case of cervical syphilis with ulcerative cervical swelling and multiple lymphadenopathy. The 33-year-old female patient was diagnosed with "irregular vaginal bleeding". Gynecological examination, imaging and pathology all pointed to cervical cancer or cervical lymphoma. Specialist physical examination: Gynecological examination: vaginal patency, cauliflower-like swelling of the cervix, size 5.4*4.8 CM, ulcerated surface, easy to bleed when touched. Laboratory examination showed that the titer of nonspecific serum test for syphilis was 1:32, and the test for syphilis-specific antibody was positive. Further physical examination showed that multiple clustered reddish-brown papules were found on the +shoulders and back. The diagnosis was cervical syphilis. After 3 weeks of treatment with benzathine penicillin, the cervical swelling and swollen lymph nodes subsided. This case suggests that cervical syphilis with systemic reactive lymph node hyperplasia can be easily misdiagnosed as cervical cancer or cervical lymphoma. It highlights the importance of careful observation of typical symptoms and multidisciplinary collaboration, as well as the necessity of excluding other diseases during the diagnosis process. Keywords: Cervical syphilis; Diagnosis; Cervical cancer; Cervical lymphoma