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Neurosyphilis

MedGen UID:
14360
•Concept ID:
C0027927
•
Disease or Syndrome
Synonyms: Central Nervous System Syphilis; Syphilis, Central Nervous System; Syphilis, CNS
SNOMED CT: Neurosyphilis (26039008); Syphilis of central nervous system (26039008)
 
Monarch Initiative: MONDO:0004944

Definition

Infection of the brain or spinal cord by Treponema pallidum. It occurs many years following the original infection which remained untreated. Signs and symptoms include abnormal gait, blindness, depression, paralysis, seizures and dementia. [from NCI]

Term Hierarchy

CClinical test,  RResearch test,  OOMIM,  GGeneReviews,  VClinVar  
  • CROGVNeurosyphilis

Professional guidelines

PubMed

Treatment. Neurosyphilis.
Davis G
Clio Med 2008;85:153-98. PMID: 19146735
Treatment of neurosyphilis.
Wolters EC
Clin Neuropharmacol 1987 Apr;10(2):143-54. doi: 10.1097/00002826-198704000-00004. PMID: 3332607
Treatment of neurosyphilis.
Rein MF
JAMA 1981 Dec 4;246(22):2613-4. PMID: 7029024

Recent clinical studies

Etiology

Neurosyphilis in Anglo-American Composers and Jazz Musicians.
Breitenfeld D, Kust D, Breitenfeld T, Prpić M, Lucijanić M, Zibar D, Hostić V, Franceschi M, Bolanča A
Acta Clin Croat 2017 Sep;56(3):505-511. doi: 10.20471/acc.2017.56.03.18. PMID: 29479917
Syphilis.
Hook EW 3rd
Lancet 2017 Apr 15;389(10078):1550-1557. Epub 2016 Dec 18 doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(16)32411-4. PMID: 27993382
Neurosyphilis.
Marra CM
Curr Neurol Neurosci Rep 2004 Nov;4(6):435-40. doi: 10.1007/s11910-004-0065-x. PMID: 15509443
Ocular syphilis.
Aldave AJ, King JA, Cunningham ET Jr
Curr Opin Ophthalmol 2001 Dec;12(6):433-41. doi: 10.1097/00055735-200112000-00008. PMID: 11734683
Borrelia rhombencephalomyelopathy.
Kuntzer T, Bogousslavsky J, Miklossy J, Steck AJ, Janzer R, Regli F
Arch Neurol 1991 Aug;48(8):832-6. doi: 10.1001/archneur.1991.00530200072021. PMID: 1898257

Diagnosis

State-of-the-Art Review: Neurosyphilis.
Hamill MM, Ghanem KG, Tuddenham S
Clin Infect Dis 2024 May 15;78(5):e57-e68. doi: 10.1093/cid/ciad437. PMID: 37593890
Neurosyphilis.
Chow F
Continuum (Minneap Minn) 2021 Aug 1;27(4):1018-1039. doi: 10.1212/CON.0000000000000982. PMID: 34623102
Neurosyphilis.
Peermohamed S, Kogilwaimath S, Sanche S
CMAJ 2020 Jul 20;192(29):E844. doi: 10.1503/cmaj.200189. PMID: 32690559Free PMC Article
Neurosyphilis in patients with HIV.
Hobbs E, Vera JH, Marks M, Barritt AW, Ridha BH, Lawrence D
Pract Neurol 2018 Jun;18(3):211-218. Epub 2018 Feb 24 doi: 10.1136/practneurol-2017-001754. PMID: 29478035
Neurosyphilis.
Marra CM
Curr Neurol Neurosci Rep 2004 Nov;4(6):435-40. doi: 10.1007/s11910-004-0065-x. PMID: 15509443

Therapy

State-of-the-Art Review: Neurosyphilis.
Hamill MM, Ghanem KG, Tuddenham S
Clin Infect Dis 2024 May 15;78(5):e57-e68. doi: 10.1093/cid/ciad437. PMID: 37593890
Neurosyphilis.
Peermohamed S, Kogilwaimath S, Sanche S
CMAJ 2020 Jul 20;192(29):E844. doi: 10.1503/cmaj.200189. PMID: 32690559Free PMC Article
Neurosyphilis.
Gonzalez H, Koralnik IJ, Marra CM
Semin Neurol 2019 Aug;39(4):448-455. Epub 2019 Sep 18 doi: 10.1055/s-0039-1688942. PMID: 31533185
Neurosyphilis.
Madhusudhan M
Neurol India 2009 May-Jun;57(3):233-4. doi: 10.4103/0028-3886.53259. PMID: 19587460
Syphilis.
Crissey JT, Denenholz DA
Clin Dermatol 1984 Jan-Mar;2(1):1-166. doi: 10.1016/0738-081x(84)90003-8. PMID: 6400314

Prognosis

Cerebrospinal Fluid Analysis.
Shahan B, Choi EY, Nieves G
Am Fam Physician 2021 Apr 1;103(7):422-428. PMID: 33788511
Neurosyphilis.
Gonzalez H, Koralnik IJ, Marra CM
Semin Neurol 2019 Aug;39(4):448-455. Epub 2019 Sep 18 doi: 10.1055/s-0039-1688942. PMID: 31533185
Ocular Syphilis: An Update.
Dutta Majumder P, Chen EJ, Shah J, Ching Wen Ho D, Biswas J, See Yin L, Gupta V, Pavesio C, Agrawal R
Ocul Immunol Inflamm 2019;27(1):117-125. Epub 2017 Oct 11 doi: 10.1080/09273948.2017.1371765. PMID: 29020491
Neurosyphilis: Knowledge Gaps and Controversies.
Tuddenham S, Ghanem KG
Sex Transm Dis 2018 Mar;45(3):147-151. doi: 10.1097/OLQ.0000000000000723. PMID: 29420441Free PMC Article
Neurosyphilis.
Marra CM
Curr Neurol Neurosci Rep 2004 Nov;4(6):435-40. doi: 10.1007/s11910-004-0065-x. PMID: 15509443

Clinical prediction guides

Risk Factors for CSF/Plasma HIV-1 RNA Discordance in HIV-Infected Patients.
Nie J, Zeng Y, Zeng Q, Du X, Chen Y
J Acquir Immune Defic Syndr 2022 Oct 1;91(S1):S20-S26. doi: 10.1097/QAI.0000000000003046. PMID: 36094511
Louis Duménil (1823-1890), surgeon and pioneer in neurology.
Walusinski O
Rev Neurol (Paris) 2022 Apr;178(4):298-305. Epub 2021 Sep 23 doi: 10.1016/j.neurol.2021.06.011. PMID: 34565621
A Brief Resolved Unexplained Event and Congenital Neurosyphilis.
Triemstra J, Reno K, Chohlas-Wood R, Nash C
Pediatr Ann 2017 Feb 1;46(2):e61-e64. doi: 10.3928/19382359-20170118-02. PMID: 28192580
Testing for syphilis.
Johnson PC, Farnie MA
Dermatol Clin 1994 Jan;12(1):9-17. PMID: 8143388
Neurosyphilis today.
Mapelli G, Pavoni M, Bellelli T, Baroncini W, Manente A, Di Bari M
Eur Neurol 1981;20(4):334-43. doi: 10.1159/000115257. PMID: 7274315

Recent systematic reviews

Management of Adult Syphilis: Key Questions to Inform the 2021 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Sexually Transmitted Infections Treatment Guidelines.
Tuddenham S, Ghanem KG
Clin Infect Dis 2022 Apr 13;74(Suppl_2):S127-S133. doi: 10.1093/cid/ciac060. PMID: 35416969Free PMC Article
Sensitivity and Specificity of Treponemal-specific Tests for the Diagnosis of Syphilis.
Park IU, Tran A, Pereira L, Fakile Y
Clin Infect Dis 2020 Jun 24;71(Suppl 1):S13-S20. doi: 10.1093/cid/ciaa349. PMID: 32578866Free PMC Article
Neurosyphilis in Africa: A systematic review.
Marks M, Jarvis JN, Howlett W, Mabey DCW
PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2017 Aug;11(8):e0005880. Epub 2017 Aug 31 doi: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0005880. PMID: 28859081Free PMC Article
Treatment of syphilis: a systematic review.
Clement ME, Okeke NL, Hicks CB
JAMA 2014 Nov 12;312(18):1905-17. doi: 10.1001/jama.2014.13259. PMID: 25387188Free PMC Article
Infecting dose and severity of malaria: a literature review of induced malaria.
Glynn JR
J Trop Med Hyg 1994 Oct;97(5):300-16. PMID: 7932927

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