Gonococcal perihepatitis and gonococcaemia. Presentation of a case with cutaneous manifestations.

Gonococcal infections are usually localized to the urogenital tract, but may sometimes spread extragenitally and cause cutaneous manifestations, arthritis, tenosynovitis, meningitis, endocarditis, or perihepatitis (Stajano, 1920; Bruusgaard and Thjotta, 1925; Curtis, 1930; Fitz-Hugh, 1934; Williams, 1938; Abu-Nassar, Hill, Fred, and Yow, 1963; Keiser, Ruben, Wolinsky, and Kushner, 1968; Amman, Zehender, Jenny, and Bass, 1971; Forstrom, Mustakallio, Sivonen, and Kousa, 1972). Acute gonococcal perihepatitis has remained largely unrecognized despite its description by Stajano (1920) over 50 years ago. It was 'rediscovered' by Curtis (1930) and was also described by Fitz-Hugh (1934), and has since been called the Fitz-HughCurtis syndrome. With one exception this syndrome has been described only in females (Kimball and Knee, 1970). The case of a patient with concurrent gonococcal perihepatitis and cutaneous manifestations of gonococcaemia is presented below.