A rare image of post syphilis nodulo ulcerative lesions over right foot

Aishwarya Kadam, Sourabh Deshmukh

PAMJ. 2026; 54:79. Published 08 Jul 2026 | doi:10.11604/pamj.2026.54.79.50488

Syphilis is a bacterial infection caused by Treponema pallidum, primarily transmitted through sexual contact. It spreads via direct contact with sores, which are often painless. The disease progresses in stages, each presenting different symptoms. In the primary stage, a characteristic symptom called a Chancre (small sore) appears, with some individuals developing a single sore while others may have multiple. Common symptoms include wart-like sores or rashes on the genitals or other parts of the body, with or without pain. This case presented a 54-year-old female with multiple progressive erythematous ulcerative lesions on her right foot, which had been worsening over the past three months, accompanied by itching and a burning sensation. She also reported smaller, similar lesions in the genital area. The patient had a history of syphilis diagnosed nine months earlier. She underwent treatment with Doxycycline 100 mg twice daily for three months, but had no satisfactory relief. On examination and followed by history of syphilis, the patient was diagnosed as post syphilis nodulo ulcerative lesions over the right foot, as shown in the image. After that, the patient was advised for therapeutic purgation using tablet Icchabhedi Rasa, therapeutic cleansing of the vaginal tract using herbal decoction of Triphala Kwath and Panchatikta Ghrita used for both local application and oral consumption (2 teaspoons on an empty stomach with lukewarm water). Additionally, she was prescribed tablet Sutshekhar Rasa (two tablets, three times a day) for one month. The treatment led to a significant reduction in lesion size and overall improvement. The image is useful in differentiating between atopic dermatitis, chromoblastocytosis, eczematous skin disorder, primary inoculation tuberculosis, and nodulo ulcerative lesion.
Corresponding author
Aishwarya Kadam, Department of Kayachikitsa, Mahatma Gandhi Ayurved College and Research Centre, Datta Meghe Institute of Higher Education and Research, Salod (H), Wardha, Maharashtra, India (aishwaryakadam135@gmail.com)

This image

Articles published in JOURNAL_ABBREVIATION are Open Access and distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0).

eISSN: 1937-8688


The Pan African Medical Journal (ISSN: 1937-8688) is a subsidiary of the Pan African Medical Journal. The contents of this journal is intended exclusively for professionals in the medical, paramedical and public health and other health sectors.

Currently tracked by: DOAJ, AIM, Google Scholar, AJOL, EBSCO, Scopus, Embase, IC, HINARI, Global Health, PubMed Central, PubMed/Medline, ESCI

Physical address: "Kenya: 3rd Floor, Park Suite Building, Parkland Road, Nairobi. PoBox 38583-00100, tel: +254 (0)20-520-4356 | Cameroon: Immeuble TechnoPark Essos, Yaounde, PoBox: 10020 Yaounde, tel: +237 (0)24-309-5880"