title: Screening for syphilis and neurosyphilis in acute psychiatric admissions.
abstract: The value of blood screening for syphilis and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) screening for neurosyphilis in acute psychiatric admissions is assessed. Of 1,296 patients, 248 (19%) had evidence of previous or current syphilis as shown by a positive Treponema pallidum haemagglutination test, and 68 (5.2%) had potentially treatable syphilis as shown by a positive Venereal Disease Research Laboratory (VDRL) titre. CSF examination was performed on 169 patients with a positive blood test. Seventeen (i.e. 1.3% of all patients included in the study) met our criteria for neurosyphilis. The best predictor for neurosyphilis was the presence of a reactive serum VDRL. However, it is recommended that all patients with a positive blood test and symptoms that could possibly be ascribed to neurosyphilis undergo CSF examination.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, University of Stellenbosch and Tygerberg Hospital, Parowvallei, CP.
authors.forename: M C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Roberts
authors.forename: R A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Emsley
authors.forename: G P
authors.initials: GP
authors.lastname: Jordaan
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003955:Diagnostic Tests, Routine; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009494:Neurosyphilis / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid / Q000175:diagnosis*; D011567:Psychiatric Department, Hospital; D013587:Syphilis / Q000175:diagnosis*; D013588:Syphilis Serodiagnosis