[Curable dementia revealing late congenital syphilis].
Late congenital syphilis is a rare disease and its neurological expression is exceptional. We report a case revealed by a curable dementia.


METHODS
This 17-year-old patient presented for one year progressive dementia, frontal syndrome and extra pyramidal syndrome. The cerebral CT scan showed a diffuse cortical and subcortical atrophy. Blood and CSF positive antibodies confirmed the diagnosis of late congenital meningoencephalitis due to syphilis. The outcome after 13 months follow-up was favourable with penicillin therapy.


CONCLUSIONS
Late congenital syphilis is a rare disease, that may be exceptionally revealed by a curable dementia. Evolution may be favourable with early penicillin therapy.
Ait Sab
I
I
Service de neurologie, centre hospitalier universitaire, Mohammed VI, BP 7010, 40000, Marrakech, Maroc.
Khouchani
M
M
Jafoui
M
M
Hamdi
J
J
Kissani
N
N
D000293:Adolescent; D000906:Antibodies / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid; D003704:Dementia / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008590:Meningoencephalitis / Q000150:complications* / Q000151:congenital*; D010406:Penicillins / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011379:Prognosis; D013590:Syphilis, Congenital / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed
D000906:Antibodies; D010406:Penicillins