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What are gummas in late syphilis?

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Scanning electron micrograph of Treponema pallidum, the spirochete bacterium that is the causative agent of syphilis. — syphilis Scanning electron micrograph of *Treponema pallidum*, the spirochete bacterium that is the causative agent of syphilis.

In the context of late (tertiary) syphilis, gummas are soft, granulomatous, tumorlike masses. These lesions typically appear beneath the skin and mucous membranes, though they may also develop in the bones, nervous system, and various organs, such as the liver and testes.12

Gummas are associated with what is clinically termed "benign late syphilis." The term "benign" is used because these specific lesions are generally not life-threatening and are not infectious.2