Stroke secondary to syphilis

Alternative names:

syphilitic stroke

Symptoms:

Prodromal (preliminary) symptoms may precede the symptoms of stroke for about 1 to 4 weeks. These are:

• headache
• vertigo (abnormal sensation of movement)
• behavioral changes
• irritability

Symptoms of stroke include:

• weakness or the total inability to move a body part
• numbness, loss of sensation
• 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
  • sleepy
  • stuporous, somnolent, lethargic
  • comatose, unconscious

Signs and tests:

A known history of syphilis may help to indicate syphilis as the cause of the stroke.

Tests may be used to confirm syphilis as the cause of the stroke, including:

• serum (blood) VDRL (positive result)
• CSF (cerebrospinal fluid) examination, showing positive CSF VDRL test, increased number of white blood cells, increased protein level, increased pressure of the fluid, or other abnormality

The location and extent of the area of the brain involved in the stroke may be determined by:

• head CT scan
• head MRI scan
• angiography of the head or neck showing constriction or occlusion of the arteries