Article
Infectious Diseases
Ling Yang, Yu Fu, Si Li, Chang Liu, Donghua Liu
Summary: By detecting TP DNA and CXCL13 concentration in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of HIV-negative syphilis patients, this study provides evidence for the diagnosis and treatment of neurosyphilis (NS). CSF CXCL13 levels may be a useful marker to distinguish NS from non-NS syphilis.
INFECTION AND DRUG RESISTANCE
(2022)
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Wenying Cui, Junling Yan, Wenjia Weng, Yanqing Gao, Wei Zhu
Summary: This study aimed to explore the risk factors for the development of neurosyphilis in patients who failed syphilis treatment. Male gender, serum RPR titers >1:32 at lumbar puncture, and CSF WBC >8 x 10(6)/L were significantly associated with neurosyphilis.
FRONTIERS IN MEDICINE
(2022)
Article
Geriatrics & Gerontology
Marija Djukic, Helmut Eiffert, Peter Lange, Ioanna Giotaki, Jana Seele, Roland Nau
Summary: This study found that approximately 1% of geriatric patients with cognitive decline or neuropathy have antibodies against Treponema pallidum in their serum, indicating a need for further diagnostic testing and potential antibiotic therapy.
Article
Infectious Diseases
Kristina Gubanova, Julia Lang, Juliane Latzko, Bianka Novotna, Julian Perneczky, Stefan Pingitzer, Petra Purer, Bianca Wuchty, Christoph Waiss, Johann Sellner
Summary: This case study highlights rare early diagnostic findings in peripheral neuropathy caused by Lyme neuroborreliosis, emphasizing the ineffectiveness of CXCL13 in cerebrospinal fluid for early diagnosis and the development of intrathecal immune response against Borrelia at a later stage.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF INFECTIOUS DISEASES
(2021)
Article
Infectious Diseases
Nicolo Girometti, Muhammad H. Junejo, Diarmuid Nugent, Alan McOwan, Gary Whitlock
Summary: This study compared outcomes of patients diagnosed with early neurosyphilis and treated with doxycycline or procaine G penicillin. The results showed similar rates of clinical and serological response and seroreversion in the groups treated with procaine G penicillin versus doxycycline. A randomized controlled trial is needed to establish the effectiveness of doxycycline in the treatment of early neurosyphilis.
JOURNAL OF ANTIMICROBIAL CHEMOTHERAPY
(2021)
Article
Ophthalmology
M. Bazewicz, S. Lhoir, D. Makhoul, A. Libois, S. Van den Wijngaert, L. Caspers, F. Willermain
Summary: The study found that a significant proportion of patients with syphilitic uveitis had neurosyphilis and CSF abnormalities suggestive of central nervous system involvement, supporting the diagnosis of neurosyphilis in these patients based on international guidelines.
OCULAR IMMUNOLOGY AND INFLAMMATION
(2021)
Article
Infectious Diseases
Barbara L. Henriques, Andre L. Cortez, Nathalia N. Nunes, Jose E. Vidal, Vivian Avelino-Silva
Summary: The study aimed to describe and compare the occurrence of neurological outcomes and neurosyphilis in people living with HIV with incident syphilis and no neurological symptoms who underwent early screening for asymptomatic neurosyphilis (ANS) or regular clinical management without a lumbar puncture. The results showed no significant differences in the incidence rates of neurological symptoms and neurosyphilis between the groups.
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Xiyue Huang, Shanshan Ying, Lan Luo, Lixin Li, Dongdong Li, Yi Xie
Summary: This study quantitatively assessed intrathecal protein synthesis in patients with neurosyphilis and found an association between different stages of neurosyphilis and intrathecal synthesis of IgM and IgG. The use of specific antibody indices may also serve as a new tool for neurosyphilis diagnosis.
FRONTIERS IN PUBLIC HEALTH
(2022)
Review
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Zheng-Xiang Gao, Yu Gou, Xiao-Qin Liu, Lei-Wen Peng
Summary: With the increasing rate of latent syphilis infection, the clinical manifestations of neurosyphilis have become more diverse. Cerebrospinal fluid testing plays an important role in the diagnosis of neurosyphilis.
FRONTIERS IN PUBLIC HEALTH
(2022)
Article
Clinical Neurology
Nicolas Fissolo, Agustin Pappolla, Jordi Rio, Luisa M. M. Villar, Santiago Perez-Hoyos, Alex Sanchez, Lucia Gutierrez, Xavier Montalban, Manuel Comabella
Summary: The study aimed to identify biomarkers associated with treatment response in patients with multiple sclerosis treated with oral therapies. The results showed that serum levels of CXCL13 and TNF-alpha were significantly decreased in patients with no evidence of disease activity (NEDA) after 1 year of treatment. Therefore, CXCL13 can serve as a biomarker for treatment response and identify optimal responders to the treatment.
NEUROLOGY-NEUROIMMUNOLOGY & NEUROINFLAMMATION
(2023)
Article
Microbiology
Yunqi Zhu, Wenxuan Zhao, Xihong Yang, Yuanyuan Zhang, Xiaoling Lin, Xing Weng, Yali Wang, Cong Cheng, Yun Chi, Hongxia Wei, Zhihang Peng, Zhiliang Hu
Summary: This study found that mNGS has a high sensitivity for detecting common opportunistic CNS pathogens in HIV-infected patients, although its performance in CNS tuberculosis is unsatisfactory. EBV and CMV are commonly detected by CSF mNGS, but the threshold for clinically significant detection still needs to be defined.
FRONTIERS IN MICROBIOLOGY
(2022)
Review
Immunology
Matthew M. Hamill, Khalil G. Ghanem, Susan Tuddenham
Summary: We reviewed the key concepts of diagnosis, treatment, and follow-up of neurosyphilis. We discussed the epidemiology of syphilis in the US, focusing on affected populations and estimating the burden of neurosyphilis. We described the clinical features, significance of asymptomatic neurosyphilis, indications for cerebrospinal fluid examination, performance characteristics of different assays, and future biomarkers and imaging.
CLINICAL INFECTIOUS DISEASES
(2023)
Article
Neurosciences
Krista D. DiSano, Francesca Gilli, Andrew R. Pachner
Summary: The study investigated the influence of CXCL13 serum concentrations and BCSFB function on CSF CXCL13 concentrations, finding no correlation between serum CXCL13 levels and Q(albumin) with CSF CXCL13. However, contrasting findings in other studies showed a significant correlation between serum and CSF CXCL13 concentrations, suggesting the need for appropriate corrections in analyzing CXCL13 levels in patients.
FLUIDS AND BARRIERS OF THE CNS
(2021)
Article
Clinical Neurology
Steffen Halbgebauer, Patrick Oeckl, Petra Steinacker, Deniz Yilmazer-Hanke, Sarah Anderl-Straub, Christine von Arnim, Lutz Froelich, Luis Aragao Gomes, Lucrezia Hausner, Andre Huss, Holger Jahn, Jochen Weishaupt, Albert C. Ludolph, Dietmar R. Thal, Markus Otto
Summary: A novel ELISA was established to evaluate beta-synuclein as a potential marker for Alzheimer's disease. The study found increased levels of beta-synuclein in the CSF of some patients, supporting its potential use as a marker of synaptic degeneration. Furthermore, beta-synuclein was localized in glutamatergic synapses, with its expression reduced in AD patients' brain tissue.
JOURNAL OF NEUROLOGY NEUROSURGERY AND PSYCHIATRY
(2021)
Editorial Material
Clinical Neurology
Lorraine Chishimba Chishimba, Mashina Chomba, Stanley Zimba, Melody Tunsubilege Asukile, Obrie Makai, Deanna R. Saylor
Summary: Neurocognitive decline remains prevalent in HIV infection despite antiretroviral therapy (ART), with a broad differential diagnosis including infectious and non-infectious causes. This case report describes a man with HIV on ART who presented with rapidly progressive dementia in Zambia. Initial empiric treatment was ineffective, leading to a re-evaluation and ultimately discovering the correct diagnosis. The case highlights the stepwise approach to diagnosis in a resource-limited setting with a high burden of HIV infection.