Table 1.
Blood investigations on admission to hospital with pneumonia (NB: at this point, the patient was taking prednisolone 20 mg daily)
| Parameter | Result | Range |
| White cell count | 22.02 | 4.3–11.4×109/L |
| Neutrophils | 18.6 | 2.1–7.7×109/L |
| ESR | 57 | 12–16 mm first hour |
| Blood cultures | Negative | |
| Toxoplasma IgG | Positive | |
| Cytomegalovirus IgM | Negative | |
| HIV antigen | Negative | |
| Hepatitis B surface antigen | Negative | |
| Hepatitis C antibody | Negative | |
| Antinuclear antibody | Negative | |
| Syphilis IgM | Positive | |
| Syphilis TPHA | >1:10 240 | |
| Blood for VDRL | Titre value >1: 256 |
ESR, erythrocyte sedimentation rate; TPHA, Treponema pallidum haemagglutination; VDRL, venereal disease research laboratory.