title: Otosyphilis: a practical guide to diagnosis and treatment.
abstract: The diagnosis and management of patients with suspected treponemal infection of the temporal bone pose some challenges. The following points deserve emphasis: 1) the MHA-TP or FTA-Abs is recommended over the reagin serologic tests (VDRL, RPR); 2) one should regard this process as an attempt to define a subgroup of patients with sensorineural hearing loss who will benefit from a combination of antibiotics and steroid therapy rather than explicitly diagnosing infection of the temporal bone. The response rate to therapy is limited; but, otosyphilis, as one of the few treatable causes of sensorineural hearing loss, must be suspected in the differential diagnosis of a wide range of otologic patients.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Guttenplan
authors.forename: R A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Hendrix
mesh_terms: D006319:Hearing Loss, Sensorineural / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D007759:Labyrinth Diseases / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000382:microbiology; D013587:Syphilis / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy; D013590:Syphilis, Congenital / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy; D013701:Temporal Bone