Syphilis serology screening in a psychogeriatric population. Is the effort worthwhile?

The treponemal serological status of 800 patients above the age of 65 was reviewed. Twenty-one were found to be positive and the venereologists advised against treatment in all referred cases. The question is posed whether syphilis serology screening in the elderly mentally ill should be confined to those patients with obvious clinical manifestation of syphilis or with obscure psychiatric presentations.