The human respiratory nasal mucosa in nasal syphilis. An ultra-microscopic study.

The fine structure of the human tertiary syphilitic nasal mucosa was studied in 5 patients. The epithelium showed variations in thickness, loss of cilia, irregular cell contours, widened intercellular spaces, rare goblet cells. The seromucinous glands were in three forms. The arterioles and capillaries varied in relation to the pathology of the surrounding tissue. The venules were least affected. The stroma was infiltrated by macrophages, plasma cells with some areas having excessive fibrosis and others partially necrotic. These findings were correlated to the histochemical reactions. Scattered Treponema pallidum were seen, demonstrating the blood-borne dissemination and the infective nasal secretions.