Ocular syphilis--indicator of previously unknown HIV-infection.
OBJECTIVE
To detect the prevalence of HIV-co-infection in patients with ocular syphilis and to compare ocular syphilis in HIV-positive and -negative patients.


METHODS
24 consecutive patients treated for ocular syphilis at our hospital between 1998 and 2006 were evaluated retrospectively. Patients' characteristics, laboratory results (including syphilis serology, HIV status, CSF examination), major ophthalmologic finding, treatment and course were assessed. Data of HIV-positive and -negative patients were compared.


RESULTS
Of the 24 patients with ocular syphilis, 11 were co-infected with HIV. Notably, the HIV-infection had previously been unknown in 7 of the 11 HIV-positive patients. 6 of these were in an early disease stage (CDC category A). Clinical and laboratory findings did not differ between HIV-positive and -negative patients except for the C-reactive protein (CRP), which was significantly higher in HIV-infected patients.


CONCLUSIONS
Ocular syphilis led to new diagnosis of HIV-infection in an unexpectedly high number of patients, which emphasises that patients with ocular syphilis must be screened for HIV-co-infection. According to our study the expected benefit is high because most of the patients newly diagnosed with HIV had high CD4(+) cell counts. These patients can be monitored and treated before the development of AIDS.
Kunkel
Jan
J
Department of Medicine I, Gastroenterology, Infectious Diseases & Rheumatology, Charité-University Medicine Berlin, Campus Benjamin Franklin, Hindenburgdamm 30, 12200 Berlin, Germany. jan.kunkel@charite.de
Schürmann
Dirk
D
Pleyer
Uwe
U
Rüther
Klaus
K
Kneifel
Christiane
C
Krause
Lothar
L
Reichert
Manuela
M
Ignatius
Ralf
R
Schneider
Thomas
T
D000328:Adult; D018791:CD4 Lymphocyte Count; D015331:Cohort Studies; D015897:Comorbidity; D015818:Eye Infections, Bacterial / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013587:Syphilis / Q000150:complications*