Syphilis sero-positivity in recently admitted and long-term psychiatric inpatients: Screening, prevalence and diagnostic profile

Neuropathologically speaking, syphilis is a sexually transmitted acute or chronic infection caused by the spirochete Treponema pallidum. Disease manifestations are diverse, occurring in stages: primary, secondary, latent and tertiary (late). Neurosyphilis is regarded as a manifestation of tertiary syphilis, but the spirochete may invade the central nervous system early in the course of infection.5,6 Neurosyphilis may be asymptomatic or symptomatic, manifesting in the latter as syphilitic meningitis, meningovascular syphilis, or parenchymatous neurosyphilis.7