An Approach for Diagnosing and Treating Neurosyphilis: A Case Report

Abstract

Neurosyphilis is a disease caused by systemic infection with Treponema pallidum, which infiltrates the central nervous system and preganglionic dorsal roots. This process presents as neurological deficits and can occur any time during the infection course, but usually takes many years. Neurosyphilis is rare in the developed world where antibiotics are readily available to treat the early stages of syphilis. This report describes a case of neurosyphilis in a 71-year-old woman who presented with ataxia and vision changes and was ultimately found to have a positive rapid plasma reagin test and protein in the cerebrospinal fluid. She was treated with intravenous penicillin for two weeks with a good response.