Jennifer Gatchel1, Benalfew Legesse2, Safwan Tayeb3, Evan Murray4, Bruce Price5. 1. MGH/McLean Adult Psychiatry Residency Program, Boston, MA, USA; Department of Psychopharmacology, Massachusetts General Hospital, 15 Parkman Street, Wang, 812, Boston, MA 02114, USA. 2. Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Belmont, MA, USA; Department of Psychiatry, McLean Hospital, Boston, MA, USA. Electronic address: blegesse@partners.org. 3. King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. 4. Department of Neurology, Harvard Medical School, Belmont, MA, USA; Department of Neurology, McLean Hospital, Boston, MA, USA; Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA; Traumatic Brain Injury Service, Manchester VA Medical Center, Manchester, NH, USA. 5. Department of Neurology, Harvard Medical School, Belmont, MA, USA; Department of Neurology, McLean Hospital, Boston, MA, USA; Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: Neurosyphilis can present with a wide range of neuropsychiatric symptoms. Hence, psychiatrists need to be familiar with tests for syphilis screening and how to interpret syphilis serologic tests. METHODS: We present four cases of patients with positive syphilis tests encountered in a psychiatric hospital. RESULTS: Two cases were treated for neurosyphilis, while the other two cases did not have active syphilis infection despite positive results. CONCLUSION: We thus highlight the challenges encountered by psychiatrists in screening for and diagnosing cases of neurosyphilis.
OBJECTIVE:Neurosyphilis can present with a wide range of neuropsychiatric symptoms. Hence, psychiatrists need to be familiar with tests for syphilis screening and how to interpret syphilis serologic tests. METHODS: We present four cases of patients with positive syphilis tests encountered in a psychiatric hospital. RESULTS: Two cases were treated for neurosyphilis, while the other two cases did not have active syphilis infection despite positive results. CONCLUSION: We thus highlight the challenges encountered by psychiatrists in screening for and diagnosing cases of neurosyphilis.