Neurosyphilis

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Central nervous system

Neurosyphilis is an infection of the brain or spinal cord. It usually occurs in persons who have had untreated syphilis for many years.

Neurosyphilis is caused by Treponema pallidum, the bacteria that cause syphilis. It usually occurs about 10 - 20 years after a person is first infected with syphilis. Not everyone who has syphilis will develop this complication.

There are four different forms of neurosyphilis:

• Asymptomatic (most common form)
• General paresis
• Meningovascular
• Tabes dorsalis

Asymptomatic neurosyphilis occurs before symptomatic syphilis.

Review Date: 09/15/2010
Reviewed By: David C. Dugdale, III, MD, Professor of Medicine, Division of General Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Washington School of Medicine; Jatin M. Vyas, MD, PhD, Assistant Professor in Medicine, Harvard Medical School; Assistant in Medicine, Division of Infectious Disease, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.

A.D.A.M., Inc. is accredited by URAC, also known as the American Accreditation HealthCare Commission (www.urac.org).

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