Acute syphilitic meningitis in an HIV-infected patient

Alex Wagemakers; Dagmar Hepp; Joep Killestein; Laura Peferoen; Wim Ang

IDCases (Jan 2018)

Acute syphilitic meningitis in an HIV-infected patient

Alex Wagemakers,
Dagmar Hepp,
Joep Killestein,
Laura Peferoen,
Wim Ang

Affiliations

Alex Wagemakers: Department of Medical Microbiology and Infection Prevention, VU medical center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands; Corresponding author at: Department of Medical Microbiology and Infection Prevention, VU medical center, Postbus 7057, 1081HV, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
Dagmar Hepp: Department of Neurology, VU medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Joep Killestein: Department of Neurology, VU medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Laura Peferoen: Department of Pathology, VU medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Wim Ang: Department of Medical Microbiology and Infection Prevention, VU medical center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands

Journal volume & issue: Vol. 13

Abstract

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We present a case of acute syphilitic meningitis in a 28-year old HIV-infected patient, presenting with a seizure. MRI revealed a meningeal lesion with cortical involvement, and the patient described previous treatment for syphilis. Final diagnosis was established by PCR and spirochete staining on a brain biopsy, upon which the patient was successfully treated with benzylpenicillin. Keywords: Syphilis, Treponema pallidum, Meningitis

Published in IDCases

ISSN: 2214-2509 (Online)
Publisher: Elsevier
Country of publisher: United Kingdom
LCC subjects: Medicine: Internal medicine: Infectious and parasitic diseases
Website: http://www.journals.elsevier.com/idcases/

About the journal