Vesicular Syplliloderm (Synonyms: Syphiloderma vesiculosum;
Syphilis cutanea vesiculosa; Varicelliform syphiloderm or syphilid.—
This is a rare form of the syphilodermata occurring in the secondary
period of the malady. Its existence has frequently been called in ques­
tion, but the observations of Bassereau,¹ Hardy,² and other French
observers, as well as Duhring,³ White and Martin,⁴ Hutchinson,⁵ and
others, attest its occurrence, although admittedly extremely exceptional.
I have never met with a case, although occasionally with instances of
the pustular syphiloderm in which the earliest stage of formation of some
lesions was noted to be vesicular, or more commonly vesicopustular.
With so rare a manifestation the possibility of its occasionally being due
to drug idiosyncrasy is not to be lost sight of; potassium iodid has been
known to be exceptionally productive of vesicles, and this drug is some­
times prescribed in the early stages of syphilis.

The vesicular syphilid may occur in one of several forms: the lesions
may be minute, eczematoid, disseminated, and grouped; larger, irreg-

¹ Bassereau, Traitê des affections de la peau symptomatiques de la syphilis, Paris,
1852.

² Hardy, Lefons sur la scrofule et les scrofulides et sur la syphilis et les syphilides,
Paris, 1864.

³ Duhring, Diseases of the Skin, third edit., p. 519.

⁴ White and Martin, Genito- Urinary and Venereal Diseases.

⁵ Hutchinson, Clinical Manual on Syphilis.

SYPHILIS

795

ularly scattered, somewhat similar to varicella (varicelliform syphilid),
and in other cases occurring in ill-defined herpetiform groups, consti­
tuting the so-called herpetiform syphilid. Both Hutchinson¹ and
Crocker² have also observed a vesicular eruption similar to herpes zoster,
except that the lesions are not limited to one side or region, but somewhat
symmetrically distributed, and of longer duration than true shingles.
In the vesicular syphiloderm an association of papules is commonly
noted, and the vesicles, which may be rounded or umbilicated, consti­
tuting one form of the varioliform syphilid, soon become seropurulent
or purulent. The vesicle generally has a dusky-red, solid, papular base,
the vesicular, vesicopustular, or pustular apex usually drying, leaving a
more or less characteristic small papule, which, disappearing, gives place
to a dark stain of some duration, as observed in other syphilodermata.

Other evidences of the active stage of syphilis are, as in other sec­
ondary eruptions, generally present, and can be utilized in the diagnosis.
The usually solid papular base, its slow evolution, and its duration and
sluggish characters are also points which distinguish it from vesicular
eczema and varicella.

But first, if you want to come back to this web site again, just add it to your bookmarks or favorites now! Then you'll find it easy!

Also, please consider sharing our helpful website with your online friends.