A case of syphilitic chorioretinitis masquerading as acute posterior multifocal placoid pigment epitheliopathy

Abstract

Ocular involvement can be the first and only manifestation of syphilis, and it may mimic any sign of posterior segment involvement. We report a 22-year-old man with syphilitic multifocal chorioretinitis who had clinical and imaging findings with acute posterior multifocal placoid pigment epitheliopathy (APMPPE) features in both eyes without any systemic and neurological symptoms. Systemic antibiotic and corticosteroid treatment led to regression in multifocal chorioretinitis lesions and improvement in visual acuity. Syphilis may present as APMPPE. Syphilis tests should be kept in mind and carefully evaluated in the differential diagnosis of patients presenting with intraocular inflammation of unknown origin.