2nd National Conference Human Retroviruses and Related Infections Washington, DC - January 29 - February 2, 1995

Natl Conf Hum Retrovir Relat Infect 1995 Jan 29-Feb 2;2: (abstract no. 1)

S. Gordon*, M. Eaton, J. Kuypers, S. Thompson, C. Marra, S. Lukehart
Cleveland Clinic Foundation, OH; Grady Memorial Hospital, Atlanta, GA; University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA

It has been suggested that the results of serologic tests and clinical manifestations of neurosyphilis may be altered by concurrent HIV infection. We studied 21 adult patients (pts) (14 HIV-infected) with newly diagnosed neurosyphilis (defined as a reactive CSF-VDRL) during an 18 month period. The majority of pts (16/21) presented with clinical findings of neurosyphilis. In comparing pts with and without concurrent HIV infections, HIV-infected pts were more likely to present with optic disease (uveitis or retinitis) (6/14 vs 0/7; p=0.06), had higher median serum RPR titers (512 dils vs 64 dils; p=0.004), and lower median CD4 lymphocyte counts (189/mm³ vs 919/mm³; p=0.002). Concurrent infection with HIV was not associated with significantly higher levels of CSF leukocytes, median CSF-FTA-ABS test was reactive in all (16/16) specimens tested. T. pallidum was detected by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) in the CSF specimens of 28% (3/13) of HIV infection. We conclude that the serum serologic response and neurologic involvement by T. pallidum may be affected by concurrent HIV infection in adult pts with symptomatic neurosyphilis. The PCR assay appeared to be a specific but not a sensitive means of detecting T. pallidum in CSF in adult pts with neurosyphilis.

Keywords: Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome, Adult, CD4 Lymphocyte Count, Communicable Diseases, HIV Infections, HIV Seropositivity, Hemagglutination Tests, Humans, Neurosyphilis, Polymerase Chain Reaction, Syphilis Serodiagnosis, methods, therapy

Download abstract

1995-01-29
1

Copyright © 1995 - The American Society for Microbiology. Reproduction of this abstract (other than one copy for personal reference) must be cleared through the American Society for Microbiology.