Special Populations Management — Flashcards

Flashcard 1: _____ syphilis can present with aortitis, particularly of the ascending thoracic aorta

Answer: Tertiary

Flashcard 2: Chlamydia trachomatis can cause _____, most commonly involving the lower extremity joints (e.g., knee, ankle)

Answer: reactive arthritis (aka Reiter syndrome)

Extra: Reactive arthritis is an asymmetric oligoarthritis that typically follows a genitourinary (Chlamydia trachomatis) or enteric infection (e.g., Shigella, Salmonella). It is strongly associated with HLA-B27. The classic triad (seen in a minority of patients) includes urethritis, conjunctivitis, and arthritis ("can't see, can't pee, can't climb a tree"). Peripheral involvement of the lower extremities (knee, ankle) is much more common than axial/sacroiliac involvement.

Flashcard 3: The Jarisch-Herxheimer reaction is a response to the release of endotoxin-like factors from the lysis of _____ organisms that manifests as fevers, chills, and myalgias.

Answer: Treponema pallidum

Flashcard 4: Enlargement of the inguinal nodes above and the femoral nodes below the inguinal ligament leads to the classic groove sign, seen in _____

Answer: lymphogranuloma venereum

Flashcard 5: Which tests remain positive even after treatment of early syphilis?_____

Answer: treponemal (non-treponemal/treponemal)

Flashcard 6: _____ test is the test of choice for response to therapy in T. pallidum infection

Answer: VDRL