Stroke secondary to syphilis

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Central nervous system

Syphilitic stroke

The following symptoms may occur about 1-4 weeks before the stroke:

• Headache
• Vertigo (abnormal sensation of movement)
• Behavioral changes
• Irritability

• Weakness or the total inability to move a body part
• Numbness , tingling or other abnormal sensations
• Decreased or lost vision, partial or temporary
• Language difficulties (aphasia)
• Inability to recognize or identify sensory stimuli (agnosia)
• Loss of memory
• Vertigo (abnormal sensation of movement)
• Loss of coordination
• Swallowing difficulties
• Personality changes
• Mood and emotion changes
• Urinary incontinence (lack of control over bladder)
• Lack of control over the bowels
• Consciousness changes
  • Drowsiness
  • Fatigue
  • Loss of consciousness

The doctor will ask if you have a history of syphilis. Blood tests can be done to check for substances in the blood produced by the bacteria that causes syphilis. These include:

• Venereal disease research laboratory test (VDRL)
• Rapid plasma reagin test (RPR)

If tests are positive, other tests are done to confirm the diagnosis. A spinal tap may be done to check for syphilis-related substances in the CSF (cerebrospinal fluid).

The following tests may be used to determine the location and severity of the stroke:

• Head CT scan
• Head MRI scan
• Angiography of the head or neck

Review Date: 03/05/2007
Reviewed By: Daniel Kantor, M.D., Director of the Comprehensive MS Center, Neuroscience Institute, University of Florida Health Science Center, Jacksonville, FL. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.