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Neuromyelitis optica (Devic's disease) in a patient with syphilisDepartment of Neurology, Flinders Medical Centre, Bedford Park, SA, 5041, Australia, robert_wilcox{at}health.qld.gov.au
Department of Medicine, Royal Darwin Hospital, Casuarina, NT, 0811, Australia
Department of Neurology, Flinders Medical Centre, Adelaide, 5042, Australia
Department of Neurology, Flinders Medical Centre, Bedford Park, SA, 5041, Australia
Department of Neurology, Flinders Medical Centre, Bedford Park, SA, 5041, Australia The patient initially presented with bilateral optic neuritis and periventricular cranial MRI abnormalities in the context of syphilis. Blood was positive but cerebrospinal fluid testing was negative for specific syphilis markers and he was oligoclonal cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) band negative. He initially responded well to penicillin and corticosteriod treatment, but went on to develop the clinical syndrome of neuromyelitis optica (NMO). Testing for the presence of the serum autoantibody for aquaporin-4 was negative. This patient appears to represent another case of post-infectious NMO. Possible pathogenesis of this post-syphilis NMO syndrome in the patient is discussed. Multiple Sclerosis 2008; 14: 268—271. http://msj.sagepub.com
Key Words: aquaporin-4 antibody Devic's disease neuromyelitis optica NMO syphilis
This version was published on March
1, 2008 Multiple Sclerosis, Vol. 14, No. 2,
268-271 (2008) |
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