A Deceptive Dermatological Dilemma

A 44-year-old man with HIV and poor therapy adherence presents with fevers and blackish-brown lamellated plaques. What is the diagnosis?

Malignant syphilis


A 44-year-old man with a history of human immunodeficiency virus infection and intermittent adherence to antiretroviral therapy presented to the infectious disease clinic with a 1-month history of fevers and pruritic skin lesions. Physical examination was notable for blackish-brown lamellated plaques on the limbs and scalp. Laboratory studies were notable for a CD4 cell count of 86 per cubic millimeter (reference range, 414 to 1123) and a rapid plasmin reagin titer of 1:32. A skin biopsy of the left forearm showed diffuse dermal lymphocytes and histiocytes admixed with a plasma-cell infiltrate. What is the most likely diagnosis?

What is the most likely diagnosis?

Erythema annulare centrifugum
Erythema gyratum repens
Erythema migrans (Lyme disease)
Lupus vulgaris (cutaneous tuberculosis)
Malignant syphilis

Dermatology, HIV, Immunocompromised, Malignant syphilis, Secondary syphilis

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