Reported Cases of Neurosyphilis Among Early Syphilis Cases-United States, 2009 to 2015

Sex Transm Dis. 2018 Jan;45(1):39-41. doi: 10.1097/OLQ.0000000000000687.

Abstract

The surveillance of neurosyphilis, an uncommon but severe consequence of syphilis, is complex; surveillance classification of neurosyphilis requires a lumbar puncture and cerebrospinal fluid analysis. We examined the prevalence of reported neurosyphilis among primary, secondary, and early latent syphilis cases reported in the United States from 2009 to 2015. Overall, the prevalence of reported neurosyphilis from 2009 to 2015 was low (0.84%); however, this is likely an underestimate of the true burden in the United States.

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Child
  • Child, Preschool
  • Female
  • Health Surveys
  • Humans
  • Infant
  • Infant, Newborn
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Neurosyphilis / cerebrospinal fluid
  • Neurosyphilis / epidemiology*
  • Neurosyphilis / immunology
  • Population Surveillance*
  • Prevalence
  • Spinal Puncture
  • Syphilis, Latent / cerebrospinal fluid
  • Syphilis, Latent / epidemiology*
  • Syphilis, Latent / immunology
  • United States / epidemiology
  • Young Adult