Posterior uveitis in patients with positive serology for syphilis

The clinical features and ophthalmologic findings of 20 patients with syphilitic posterior uveitis seen at the Detroit Medical Center from November 1993 through February 1996 were reviewed. The mean age was 58 years; 8 patients were male and 12 were female; and all patients were black. Three of 9 patients tested were HIV positive. Patients were divided into 2 groups: those with acute (8) and those with chronic (12) syphilitic posterior uveitis. Chorioretinitis was the predominant uveitic pattern (15/20). Eighteen patients presented with blurred vision. All patients had reactive serum fluorescent treponemal antibody, absorbed (FTA-ABS); 3 had nonreactive rapid plasma reagin (RPR). Mean RPR titer in the chronic uveitis group and in the acute uveitis group was 1:27.3 and 1:209.8, respectively. Seven patients had abnormal cerebrospinal fluid (CSF); CSF VDRL was reactive in 2 patients. All patients were treated with intravenous penicillin G. Eight of 14 patients seen at follow-up showed improvement of ophthalmologic findings. Syphilis should be considered in the differential diagnosis of posterior uveitis.