Neurosyphilis is a complication of untreated syphilis, which arises when the bacteria Treponema pale invades the central nervous system, reaching the brain, meninges and spinal cord, causing symptoms such as intense headache, muscle weakness, paralysis, difficulty concentrating or dementia.
Syphilis is a sexually transmitted infection that can evolve in different ways throughout different stages, including the formation of genital ulcers, skin patches or fever, for example, with serious changes such as heart or neurological problems occurring in more advanced stages of the disease. illness. Find out more about the main stages of syphilis.
The treatment of neurosyphilis is carried out by an infectious disease specialist with the use of antibiotics directly into the vein, for approximately 10 to 14 days. After a few months of treatment, it will be necessary to monitor infection levels through lumbar puncture of the spinal fluid, to assess whether there has been a cure.
Symptoms of neurosyphilis
The main symptoms of neurosyphilis include:
- Vision disorders and blindness;
- Memory failures or difficulty concentrating;
- Change in gait or numbness in the legs and feet
- Mood changes or irritability;
- Depression, delusions or mania;
- Delusions, mental confusion or convulsions;
- Tremors, weakness or progressive general paralysis;
- Headache, stiff neck, nausea and vomiting;
- Vertigo or increased sensitivity to light.
These symptoms usually appear between 5 and 20 years after the initial infection with Treponema pale, when the infected person has not received adequate treatment, although it can happen at any stage of the infection. See the symptoms of syphilis by stage of infection.
As the signs and symptoms of neurosyphilis are very varied, this disease can be confused with several neurological diseases, such as Alzheimer’s, multiple sclerosis, meningitis, brain tumor, Parkinson’s disease, CVA (Cerebral Vascular Accident) or psychiatric diseases, such as schizophrenia and depression. .
Learn more about the stages of syphilis in the following video:
Online symptom test
Neurosyphilis is a complication of syphilis when left untreated. To find out if you have syphilis, please select the symptoms you present:
This test is just a guidance tool. Therefore, it is not intended to provide a diagnosis or replace consultation with a urologist, gynecologist or infectious disease specialist.
How to confirm the diagnosis
The diagnosis of neurosyphilis is made by an infectious disease specialist based on symptoms, the person’s health history and results of tests such as analysis of cerebrospinal fluid, which demonstrates changes suggestive of the disease and is carried out through lumbar puncture.
If you want to make an appointment, you can find the doctor closest to you using the tool below:
Imaging tests, such as computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging and cerebral angiography, are highly recommended for evaluating brain changes and disease progression.
Blood tests, such as FTA-ABS and VDRL, are serological tests that help identify antibodies related to syphilis. Find out how to understand the results of the VDRL exam.
How the treatment is carried out
The treatment of neurosyphilis must be carried out in a hospital, consisting of daily injections, into the vein, of antibiotics such as crystalline Penicillin G or Ceftriaxone, for approximately 10 to 14 days.
After treatment for neurosyphilis, the doctor may do blood tests at the 3rd and 6th month, as well as once a year for 3 years. In addition, lumbar punctures may be performed every 6 months to confirm that the infection has been cured.
See also how treatment is carried out in the different stages of syphilis.
Possible complications
Untreated neurosyphilis can cause complications such as:
- Permanent paralysis;
- Insanity;
- Psychosis;
- Slow degeneration of neurons that carry sensory information to the brain, called tabes dorsales.
Complications of neurosyphilis depend on how the disease progresses in each person, the time of infection and the waiting time until treatment begins, and in the most serious cases, it can lead to death.
Prevention of neurosyphilis
Neurosyphilis is an infection that can have serious health consequences and, therefore, must be prevented through appropriate treatment.
Therefore, patients with syphilis must follow the doctor’s instructions, preventing the infection from reaching the nervous system, especially in cases of patients with an altered immune system.
Syphilis prevention is done with the use of condoms during sexual intercourse, and care to avoid contamination through blood and secretions, not sharing materials that may be contaminated, such as syringes and needles, in addition to carrying out pre-treatment – adequate birth, in the case of pregnant women. Check out more guidance on how transmission occurs and how to prevent syphilis.
