Neurosyphilis in psychiatric practice: a case-based discussion of clinical evaluation and diagnosis

Abstract Objective Neurosyphilis can present with a wide range of neuropsychiatric symptoms. Hence, psychiatrists need to be familiar with tests for syphilis screening and how to interpret syphilis serologic tests. Methods We present four cases of patients with positive syphilis tests encountered in a psychiatric hospital. Results Two cases were treated for neurosyphilis, while the other two cases did not have active syphilis infection despite positive results. Conclusion We thus highlight the challenges encountered by psychiatrists in screening for and diagnosing cases of neurosyphilis.