Secondary Syphilis Presenting as Optic Neuritis in an Immunocompetent Patient: Case Report

Syphilis is a sexually transmitted, systemic infection caused by the spirochete bacterium Treponema pallidum [1]. The incidence of syphilis continues to rise in the USA and Europe, and it is estimated that around 20% of patients with syphilis in the USA also have HIV infection[2-4]. Ocular involvement may be silent or present as anterior uveitis, choroiditis, interstitial keratitis, retinal vasculitis, retinitis, optic neuritis, dacryoadenitis, or scleritis [5-7]. The observation of optic nerve abnormalities in an ophthalmological examination in a patient with syphilis is highly suggestive of central nervous system (CNS) involvement and should be considered synonymous with neurosyphilis [8,9].