A treatable cause of ataxia: Tabes dorsalis

Abstract

Dear Editor, Syphillis is a spirochetal infectious disease which is transmitted sexually.1,2 Incidence of this disease has decreased by penicillin age and gradually increased since 2000. Neurosyphilis develops in 3 to 5% of the individuals infected with Treponema pallidum. Tabes dorsalis appears in 5% of these. Latent period of the syphilis is 10 to 15 years in tabes dorsalis.1-3 Neurosyphilis may appear with different clinical patterns such as meningitis, dementia, stroke, polyradiculopathy and tabes dorsalis.4,5 Tabes dorsalis, parenchymal form of late-term neurosyphilis is a rare form of neurosyphilis or tertiary syphilis characterized by stabbing type pains, sensorial ataxia, Romberg’s sign, deep sensorial and reflex loss due to chronic selective involvement of posterior roots and posterior chord of medulla spinalis.1-5 It progresses with slow progressive degeneration of the spinal nerves.