title: Posterior syphilitic uveitis: clinical characteristics, co-infection with HIV, response to treatment.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To describe the characteristics and clinical course of patients with active posterior syphilitic uveitis evaluated between 1991 and 2009.
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective chart review.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Thirteen patients with active posterior syphilitic uveitis were identified at a single institution. All were men, and all with available data were men having sex with men (MSM). Ten of 12 (83%) with available data were HIV positive. Four (31%) had a history of syphilis. Clinical findings included infiltrative retinitis, necrotizing retinitis and optic neuritis. Two of 8 patients tested (25%) had a positive Venereal Disease Research Laboratory test in the cerebrospinal fluid. Treatments included intravenous penicillin, intramuscular penicillin and intramuscular ceftriaxone. All treated cases improved and, in some cases, inflammatory lesions completely resolved without scarring.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In this series, syphilitic posterior uveitis presented only in men, and all with available data were MSM. The majority were concomitantly infected with HIV. Clinical presentations varied and all patients demonstrated either significant improvement or complete resolution of inflammation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, University of Illinois at Chicago, 1855 W. Taylor Street, Chicago, IL, 60612, USA. Singli03@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Sing Your
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, University of Illinois at Chicago, 1855 W. Taylor Street, Chicago, IL, 60612, USA.
authors.forename: Andrea D
authors.initials: AD
authors.lastname: Birnbaum
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, University of Illinois at Chicago, 1855 W. Taylor Street, Chicago, IL, 60612, USA.
authors.forename: Howard H
authors.initials: HH
authors.lastname: Tessler
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, University of Illinois at Chicago, 1855 W. Taylor Street, Chicago, IL, 60612, USA.
authors.forename: Debra A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Goldstein
mesh_terms: D000284:Administration, Oral; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D023241:Antiretroviral Therapy, Highly Active; D060085:Coinfection; D004318:Doxycycline / Q000008:administration & dosage; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000503:physiopathology; D018451:Homosexuality, Male; D006801:Humans; D007273:Injections, Intramuscular; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009902:Optic Neuritis / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000503:physiopathology; D010400:Penicillin G / Q000008:administration & dosage; D012173:Retinitis / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000503:physiopathology; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013587:Syphilis / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000503:physiopathology; D013588:Syphilis Serodiagnosis; D015866:Uveitis, Posterior / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000503:physiopathology; D014792:Visual Acuity / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D004318:Doxycycline; D010400:Penicillin G