Keratopathy from congenital syphilis.
OBJECTIVE
Therapeutic decision-making in syphilitic corneal disease is discussed after seeing a patient with keratopathy from congenital syphilis.


METHODS
Case report and review of the literature.


RESULTS
Laboratory evaluation of our patient revealed a nonreactive serum rapid plasma reagin (RPR) test and a positive microhemagglutination assay-Treponema pallidum (MHA-TP) test.


CONCLUSIONS
Any patient with residual interstitial keratopathy, especially if bilateral, should be suspected to have congenital syphilis if the patient or parents were ever treated for a sexually transmitted disease, if stigmata of congenital syphilis are present, or if childhood ocular inflammation occurred.
Cullen Eye Institute, Department of Ophthalmology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA.
Seenu M
SM
Hariprasad
Suk Jin
SJ
Moon
Richard C
RC
Allen
Kirk R
KR
Wilhelmus
D000368:Aged; D002908:Chronic Disease; D006801:Humans; D007634:Keratitis / Q000209:etiology*; D008297:Male; D013590:Syphilis, Congenital / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy