2020 Volume 8 Issue 2 Pages 151-155
Recently, increases in oropharyngeal sexually transmitted infection (STI) have become a concern. Patients present to otolaryngologist with concerns about STIs more often than might be expected. Oropharyngeal syphilis reveals a characteristic manifestation, but manifestations in some cases resolved with antibiotics. As pharyngeal gonococcal or chlamydial infections lack characteristic findings, these pathologies are difficult to distinguish. We encountered 2 patients with oropharyngeal syphilis and 1 patient with oropharyngeal gonococcal infection and chlamydia. All patients presented with no objective findings, but requested STI examination because of prolonged sore throat and strange feelings in the pharynx. STI examination led to diagnosis of pharyngeal syphilis infection in 2 patients and gonococcal infection in 1 patient. The patient diagnosed with gonococcal infection was diagnosed with chlamydia infection after treatment of gonococcal infection. If patients with concerns about oropharyngeal STI present to an otolaryngologist, STI examination is advisable even if no manifestations are apparent. After treatment, regular STI examination is desirable if the patient engages in behaviors associated with high-risk of STI.
