Syphilitic meningitis with papilledema.

Reported is a patient with associated papilledema and syphilitic meningitis. The clinical picture initially suggested an intracranial mass lesion. The cause of the papilledema in this patient was not clear; it did not appear to be related to increased intracranial pressure. Patients with syphilitic meningitis should receive prompt penicillin therapy to avoid serious neurologic sequelae.