Neurosyphilis: An Unresolved Case of Meningitis
Neurosyphilis can cause both symptomatic and asymptomatic meningitis. However the epidemiology of modern neurosyphilis is not well defined because of the paucity of population-based data. The majority of neurosyphilis cases have been reported in HIV-infected patients. Here we present a case of early...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Wiley
2015-01-01
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| Series: | Case Reports in Infectious Diseases |
| Online Access: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2015/634259 |
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| _version_ | 1832556199927611392 |
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| author | Shagufta Ahsan Joesph Burrascano |
| author_facet | Shagufta Ahsan Joesph Burrascano |
| author_sort | Shagufta Ahsan |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Neurosyphilis can cause both symptomatic and asymptomatic meningitis. However the epidemiology of modern neurosyphilis is not well defined because of the paucity of population-based data. The majority of neurosyphilis cases have been reported in HIV-infected patients. Here we present a case of early neurosyphilis/symptomatic syphilitic meningitis in a non-HIV patient who presented with rash but was mistakenly treated for early latent or secondary syphilis. Syphilis presenting with a skin rash and an extremely high RPR titer could indicate CNS infection rather than simply secondary syphilis because rash is a nonspecific manifestation of disseminated infection. Given the effectiveness of penicillin therapy, why is the rate of syphilis continuing to increase? Is it due to a failure of prevention or could it be also because of failure to diagnose and treat syphilis adequately, as in this case? |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-86fd96d6ad7a40a99b1578a494db7b63 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2090-6625 2090-6633 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2015-01-01 |
| publisher | Wiley |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Case Reports in Infectious Diseases |
| spelling | doaj-art-86fd96d6ad7a40a99b1578a494db7b632025-02-03T05:46:07ZengWileyCase Reports in Infectious Diseases2090-66252090-66332015-01-01201510.1155/2015/634259634259Neurosyphilis: An Unresolved Case of MeningitisShagufta Ahsan0Joesph Burrascano1Saint Michael’s Medical Center, 111 Central Avenue, Newark, NJ 07102, USAInternational Lyme and Associated Diseases Society, Bethesda, MD 20827-1461, USANeurosyphilis can cause both symptomatic and asymptomatic meningitis. However the epidemiology of modern neurosyphilis is not well defined because of the paucity of population-based data. The majority of neurosyphilis cases have been reported in HIV-infected patients. Here we present a case of early neurosyphilis/symptomatic syphilitic meningitis in a non-HIV patient who presented with rash but was mistakenly treated for early latent or secondary syphilis. Syphilis presenting with a skin rash and an extremely high RPR titer could indicate CNS infection rather than simply secondary syphilis because rash is a nonspecific manifestation of disseminated infection. Given the effectiveness of penicillin therapy, why is the rate of syphilis continuing to increase? Is it due to a failure of prevention or could it be also because of failure to diagnose and treat syphilis adequately, as in this case?http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2015/634259 |
| spellingShingle | Shagufta Ahsan Joesph Burrascano Neurosyphilis: An Unresolved Case of Meningitis Case Reports in Infectious Diseases |
| title | Neurosyphilis: An Unresolved Case of Meningitis |
| title_full | Neurosyphilis: An Unresolved Case of Meningitis |
| title_fullStr | Neurosyphilis: An Unresolved Case of Meningitis |
| title_full_unstemmed | Neurosyphilis: An Unresolved Case of Meningitis |
| title_short | Neurosyphilis: An Unresolved Case of Meningitis |
| title_sort | neurosyphilis an unresolved case of meningitis |
| url | http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2015/634259 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT shaguftaahsan neurosyphilisanunresolvedcaseofmeningitis AT joesphburrascano neurosyphilisanunresolvedcaseofmeningitis |