Case report
Neurosyphilis manifesting with unilateral visual loss and hyponatremia: a case report
-
* Corresponding author: Katrin Milger Katrin.Milger@innere.med.uni-giessen.de
1 Department of Internal Medicine II, Justus-Liebig University Giessen, Klinikstr. 36, 35392 Giessen, Germany
2 Department of Medical Microbiology, Justus-Liebig University Giessen, Frankfurterstr. 107, 35392 Giessen, Germany
BMC Infectious Diseases 2011, 11:17 doi:10.1186/1471-2334-11-17
Published: 15 January 2011Abstract
Background
Syphilis is called the chameleon of the diseases due to its variety of its clinical presentations, potentially affecting every organ of the body. Incidence of this ancient disease is once again on the increase worldwide.
Case presentation
We here report an unusual case of neurosyphilis manifesting with unilateral visual loss and hyponatremia. The patient also had primary syphilitic lesions and was concomitantly diagnosed with Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV), Hepatitis B Virus (HBV) and Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) infection. Treatment with ceftriaxone and prednisolone, completely resolved the hyponatremia and visual acuity was partially restored.
Conclusion
Awareness of syphilis as a differential diagnosis is important as previously unreported presentations of neurosyphilis can arise, especially in HIV infected patients.