Clinical Case Study of Syphilis: Another Example of the "Great Imitator"

Secondary syphilis is one of the more difficult sexually transmitted diseases to diagnose because it can resemble several other, more benign diseases. Thus, it is sometimes referred to as the "Great Imitator." In this article we describe a case of syphilis in an active-duty soldier who did not have the typical signs and symptoms of secondary syphilis. Because secondary syphilis can be difficult to identify, and because untreated secondary syphilis may progress to the debilitating and deadly tertiary stage, we present a basic strategy for diagnosing secondary syphilis.