Syphilitic aneurysm of the abdominal aorta: report of two cases.

We have described two histologically confirmed syphilitic abdominal aortic aneurysms arising below the renal arteries. Serological tests were negative and the patients had in the past been treated with penicillin and bismuth. We consider that there may be a correlation between atherosclerosis and syphilis in the natural history of some abdominal aortic aneurysms and the hazard of indiscriminate use of antibiotics for the treatment of other inflammatory vessel disease may allow syphilis to develop insidiously.