Neurosyphilis; report of two patients

Abstract

Purpose: Syphilis is a treatable disease provided a diagnose is made at an early stage. this way, the central nervous system complications that can be observed years after first inoculation can be avoided. Methods: In this article, two syphilis cases, one with progressive orientation disorder, another with recurrent transient ischemic episodes, were presented. Results: Severe confusional syndrome along with extrapyramidal and bilateral pyramidal irritation findings was found in the first patient. Second patient had findings of left pyramidal syndrome. Penicillin treatment of 24 million units per day was administered to both patients with positive syphilitic serologic tests for 14 days. There was no change in clinical status of the first patient after the treatment. However, second patient showed complete recovery. Conclusion: Our findings have showed the necessity of early phase intervention to avoid the infection of central nervous system by syphilis. It is apparent that neurological findings that develop at later stages of the disease might be irreversible.