CXCL8, CXCL9, and CXCL10 serum levels increase in syphilitic patients with seroresistance.

BACKGROUND: Recently, the rise of syphilitic seroresistance brings great confusion to the clinical diagnosis and treatment of syphilis, and no clear diagnostic marker has been found to distinguish syphilitic seroresistance from other progression of syphilis. This study evaluated the serum chemokines levels of CCL2, CXCL8, CXCL9, and CXCL10 and its correlation with blood routine, coagulation, and biochemical indexes in seroresistant syphilitic patients. METHOD: Serum levels of chemokines were quantitatively determined by Flow Cytometric Bead Array (CBA). The results expressed in pg/ml. Clinical parameters were detected and analyzed according to the clinical laboratory standards. A correlation analysis was subsequently performed. RESULTS: The seroresistant syphilitic patients increased significantly serum chemokines levels of CXCL8 (***p < 0.001), CXCL9 (***p < 0.001), and CXCL10 (**p < 0.01) when compared to noninfected individuals, but the CCL2 was not statistically significant, and serum CXCL8 shows a strong association with platelets (r = 0.51, **p = 0.004) and serum CXCL10 was significantly positively related to INR levels (r = 0.49, **p = 0.007). CONCLUSION: Increasing serum abnormalities in CXCL8, CXCL9, and CXCL10 level combining with platelets of peripheral blood and plasmatic INR in syphilis patients may be helpful for the diagnosis of serofast state.

Impacto da exposição à sífilis materna no sistema auditivo de recém-nascidos / Impact of exposure to maternal syphilis on the newborn's auditory system

RESUMO Objetivo Avaliar os achados audiológicos de recém-nascidos expostos à sífilis materna, tratada adequadamente na gestação. Métodos Estudo de coorte única não concorrente, realizado em um hospital público. Fizeram parte da amostra recém-nascidos filhos de mães que apresentaram sorologia positiva para sífilis e que realizaram o tratamento adequado durante a gestação, compondo o grupo estudo, e recém-nascidos sem indicadores de risco para deficiência auditiva, grupo comparação. Resultados Participaram do estudo 90 recém-nascidos, sendo 41 do grupo estudo e 49 do grupo comparação. No exame de emissões otoacústicas por estímulo transiente, todos apresentaram presença de resposta bilateralmente e, na comparação das amplitudes de respostas nas bandas de frequências de 3,0 kHz, 3,5 kHz e 4,0 kHz observou-se menor amplitude de resposta no grupo exposto, com diferença estatisticamente significativa para a frequência de 4 kHz à direita. Na análise das respostas do exame de potencial evocado auditivo de tronco encefálico, não se observou assimetria de resposta entre as orelhas que sugerisse alteração retrococlear e nem diferenças nos valores das latências absolutas ou intervalos interpicos, entre os grupos. Conclusão As respostas eletroacústicas foram discretamente inferiores nos recém-nascidos exposto à sífilis materna, enquanto que as respostas eletrofisiológicas foram semelhantes às encontradas na população de baixo risco para deficiência auditiva.

ABSTRACT Purpose To evaluate the audiological findings of newborns exposed to maternal syphilis, properly treated during pregnancy. Methods This was a single, non-concurrent cohort study conducted in a public hospital. The sample included newborns whose mothers had positive syphilis serology and who underwent adequate treatment during pregnancy, composing the study group, and newborns without risk indicators for hearing loss, as a comparison group. Results Ninety newborns participated in the study, 41 were the study group and 49 were the comparison group. In the transient evoked otoacoustic emissions test, all newborns showed a bilateral response, and when comparing the amplitudes of responses in the 3.0 kHz, 3.5 kHz and 4.0 kHz frequency bands, a smaller amplitude of response in the studied group with a statistically significant difference for the frequency of 4 kHz on the right was observed. An analysis of the response of the brainstem auditory evoked potential test showed no asymmetry of response between the ears that suggest a retrocochlear alteration, nor difference in the values of absolute latencies or interpeak intervals between groups. Conclusion The electroacoustic responses were slightly lower in newborns exposed to maternal syphilis, whereas their electrophysiological responses were similar to those found in the population at low risk for hearing loss.

Recognizing and limiting syphilis to prevent congenital syphilis.

Syphilis is on the rise in every age and ethnicity group across the United States. The rate of congenital syphilis has started to rise as well, increasing the need for syphilis screening before pregnancy occurs. Raising awareness for syphilis screening, especially among sexually active women, is important, as the implications of this disease have lifelong effects for mother and child.

[Steadfast and unconvincible : The eventful life and legacy of Heinrich Dreuw (1874-1934)]. / Unbeugsam und unbelehrbar : Das bewegte (Nach)leben des Heinrich Dreuw (1874­1934).

Syphilis is not a deadly disease anymore, thanks to antibiotics. But before their discovery, Paul Ehrlich presented the drug Salvarsan. Its efficacy was doubted and there were many disputes about it. The Berlin physician Heinrich Dreuw had been the most influential opponent-contemporaries and historians described him as being an antisemitic quack, but maybe they were wrong.

Neurosyphilis complicated with pial arteriovenous fistula: A rare case report.

INTRODUCTION: Neurosyphilis is a chronic, infectious disease of the central nervous system. Pial arteriovenous fistulae (PAVF) are rare vascular malformations. Both can cause vascular damage, but it is quite rare for both to present at the same time. PATIENT CONCERNS: Here we present a 66-year-old man with affective disorder, hypomnesia, and recent convulsions. Magnetic resonance imaging revealed cerebral swelling, hyperintensity in the cortex/subcortex, and multiple lacunar cerebral infarctions. Computed tomography angiography revealed the presence of a pial arteriovenous fistula. DIAGNOSES: Based on laboratory tests and imaging, diagnoses of neurosyphilis and pial arteriovenous fistula were made. INTERVENTIONS: Antisyphilis therapy was provided. OUTCOMES: Symptoms improved and antisyphilis treatment continued as an outpatient. No intracranial hemorrhage was seen 6 months later. CONCLUSION: Treponema pallidum infection may be related to the formation of PAVF, and may also promote the progression of it; however, further work is required to confirm this.

Analysis of EEG Lemple-Ziv complexity and correlative aspects before and after treatment of anti-syphilis therapy for neurosyphilis.

Objective To investigate the diagnostic value of electroencephalogram (EEG) complexity in patients with neurosyphilis by comparing the changes of electroencephalogram Lempel-Ziv complexity (EEG-LZC) before and after anti-syphilis treatment. Methods The EEG complexity of neurosyphilis patients diagnosed in our hospital from July in 2015 to June in 2017 was analyzed and compared with other diagnostic results such as serology examination and cerebrospinal fluid examination. Results A total of 27 patients were diagnosed, including 19 males and 8 females, of which 6 were mesenchymal(cerebrospinal membrane and meningeal vascular), 16 were parenchymal(paralytic dementia, spinal cord tuberculosis and optic neuropathy), and 5 were asymptomatic. After intensive anti-syphilis therapy, the LZC increased significantly in all patients while the trend and degree of change were consistent with other diagnostic results. Conclusion The LZC can be used as one of the diagnostic indexes meanwhile the trend and degree of its change can be used as the reference index of curative effect to neurosyphilis.

[Evolution of treatment of syphilis through history]. / Evolución del tratamiento de la sífilis a lo largo de la historia.

In this article, we present a historical revision of syphilis treatment since the end of the XV century up until the current days. For centuries, it was understood that syphilis had been brought to Spain by Columbus after coming back from America. It became an epidemic soon after. Later on, it was spread all over Europe. The chronologic and geographic origin of this illness have been debated in recent years, however, there has been no agreement about it as yet. Mercury was the main used therapy for four and a half centuries, until the discovery of penicillin in 1943. This discovery changed the therapeutic approach to syphilis since then. Other remedies were used during this period. Guaiacum was one of them, but it was dismissed in the mid-sixteenth century. Iodides were also used, especially in the tertiary symptoms of the disease. The discovery of arsphenamine (Salvarsan) at the beginning of the XX century, used by itself at its onset and associated to mercury or bismuth later on, was a significant therapeutic contribution. Bismuth was in itself a great therapeutic asset. It displaced the use of mercury in an important way until 1943, when the appearance of penicillin became the treatment of choice.

Isolation and Identification of the Five Novel Flavonoids from Genipa americana Leaves.

Genipa americana is a medicinal plant popularly known as "jenipapo", which occurs in Brazil and belongs to the Rubiaceae family. It is a species widely distributed in the tropical Central and South America, especially in the Cerrado biome. Their leaves and fruits are used as food and popularly in folk medicine to treat anemias, as an antidiarrheal, and anti-syphilitic. Iridoids are the main secondary metabolites described from G. americana, but few studies have been conducted with their leaves. In this study, the aim was to chemical approach for identify the main compounds present at the extract of G. americana leaves. The powdered leaves were extracted by maceration with EtOH: water (70:30, v/v), following liquid-liquid partition with petroleum ether, chloroform, ethyl acetate and n-butanol. A total of 13 compounds were identified. In addition three flavonoids were isolated from the ethyl acetate fraction: quercetin-3-O-robinoside (GAF 1), kaempferol-3-O-robinoside (GAF 2) and isorhamnetin-3-O-robinoside (GAF 3) and, from n-butanol fraction more two flavonoids were isolated, kaempferol-3-O-robinoside-7-O-rhamnoside (robinin) (GAF 4) and isorhamnetin-3-O-robinoside-7-rhamnoside (GAF 5). Chemical structures of these five flavonoids were elucidated using spectroscopic methods (MS, ¹H and 13C-NMR 1D and 2D). These flavonoids glycosides were described for the first time in G. americana.

Análisis de técnicas treponémicas y no treponémicas en el tamizaje serológico de sífilis / Analysis of treponemical and non treponemical techniques for syphilis blood bank screening

Introducción: las infecciones producidas por el Treponema pallidum causante de la sífilis han alcanzado gran trascendencia entre las enfermedades infecciosas transmitidas por transfusión (ITT) y un nuevo repunte a nivel mundial. Debido a las diferentes etapas clínicas que presenta la enfermedad, el desempeño de cada prueba de detcción varía y se limita. Así, la elección de una técnica de tamizaje adecuada se convierte en un punto fundamental para garantizar la calidad y seguridad de cada hemocomponente despachado. Objetivo: analizar y evaluar la eficacia de cuatro técnicas de tamizaje serológico. Métodos: se realizó un estudio comparativo transversal con 1 376 muestras seleccionadas al azar a nivel nacional en el mes de diciembre 2015. Se compararon las técnicas de inmunocromatografía (IC), floculación (VDRL), electroquimioluminiscencia (ECLIA) y microelisa. Se analizó la eficacia individual de cada técnica y comparativa con respecto a la gold standard (FTA-ABS) utilizando para ello el coeficiente de correlación Cohen-Kappa (К). Resultados: las cuatro pruebas presentaron un nivel de concordancia del 98,67 por ciento. Del total de resultados discrepantes el 63,16 por ciento fueron generados por VDRL, la cual al mismo tiempo demostró tener el menor rendimiento (k=0,14) y alcanzó los valores más bajos de sensibilidad (s=69 por ciento) y especificidad (e=45 por ciento), lo cual contrastó con la IC que demostró el mayor rendimiento (k=0,863, s=100 por ciento, e=0,8 2 por ciento), seguido de la ECLIA (k=0,801, s=96 por ciento, e=0,82 por ciento) y el microelisa (k=0,711, s=100 por ciento, e=0,64 por ciento). Conclusión: se evidencia la necesidad de utilizar pruebas de nuevas tecnologías en el tamizaje serológico de sífilis y remplazar el uso de VDRL, ya que una correcta selección asegura el descarte de hemocomponentes en el número correcto (evitando grandes pérdidas de sangre y de dinero) y, en especial se asegura la calidad sanitaria de cada hemocomponente(AU)

Introduction: Infections produced by Treponema pallidum, which causes syphilis, have reached an important high level among infectious transmitted by transfusion (ITT). Due to the different clinical stages of the disease, the performance of each test is varied and limited. Thus, the choice of a suitable screening technique becomes a fundamental point in a blood bank, to guarantee the quality and safety of each blood component dispatched. Objective: The aim of this study was to analyze and evaluate the performance of four serological screening techniques. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted with 1 376 randomly selected samples nationwide in December 2015. The techniques used were immunochromatography (IC), flocculation (VDRL), electrochemiluminescence (ECLIA) and microelisa, and we compared the performance of each one and with respect to the gold standard (FTA-ABS) by using the Cohen-Kappa correlation coefficient (K). Results: The four tests had a concordance level of 98.67 percent. Of the total discrepant results the 63.16 percent were generated by VDRL, which at the same time showed the worst performance (k=0,14) and reached the lowest values ​​of sensitivity (s=69 percent) and specificity (e=45 percent). That contrasted with IC, which showed the best performance (k=0,883, s=100 percent, e=82 percent), followed by ECLIA (k=0,801, s=96 percent, e=0,82 percent) and microelisa (k=0,711, s=100 percent, e=0.64 percent). Conclusion: There is a necessity to use tests with new technologies in the serological screening of syphilis and to replace the use of VDRL in a blood bank, due to a correct selection, ensures the quality and the disposal of blood components in the correct number avoiding great losses of blood and money(AU)

Medical and Social Aspects of Syphilis in the Balkans from the mid-19th Century to the Interwar.

The current study presents some aspects of syphilis in the Balkan Peninsula from the 19th century until the Interwar. Ever since the birth of modern Balkan States (Greece, Bulgaria, Turkey and Serbia), urbanization, poverty and the frequent wars have been considered the major factors conducive to the spread of syphilis. The measures against sex work and sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) were taken in two aspects, one medical and the other legislative. In this period, numerous hospitals for venereal diseases were established in the Balkan countries. In line with the international diagnostic approach and therapeutic standards, laboratory examinations in these Balkan hospitals included spirochete examination, Wassermann reaction, precipitation reaction and cerebrospinal fluid examination. Despite the strict legislation and the adoption of relevant laws against illegal sex work, public health services were unable to curb the spread of syphilis. Medical and social factors such as poverty, citizen's ignorance of STDs, misguided medical perceptions, lack of sanitary control of prostitution and epidemiological studies, are highlighted in this study. These factors were the major causes that helped syphilis spread in the Balkan countries during the 19th and early 20th century. The value of these aspects as a historic paradigm is diachronic. Failure to comply with the laws and the dysfunction of public services during periods of war or socioeconomic crises are both factors facilitating the spread of STDs.

Value of CXCL13 in diagnosing asymptomatic neurosyphilis in HIV-infected patients.

Diagnosing asymptomatic neurosyphilis (ANS) in HIV-infected patients is difficult. A recent report suggested that CXCL13 is a promising diagnostic marker for neurosyphilis in HIV-positive patients. However, whether CXCL13 can be a diagnostic marker for ANS in HIV-infected patients remains unknown. The purpose of our study was to determine the role of CXCL13 in diagnosing ANS in HIV-infected patients. This study comprised two study and three control groups. Two study groups included 12 HIV-infected patients with ANS and 25 patients with syphilis and HIV co-infection (without ANS). Three control groups included 9 patients with ANS without HIV infection, 25 HIV-infected patients without syphilis and 10 healthy volunteers. Concentrations of CSF CXCL13 were measured before and after neurosyphilis therapy. Our results showed that CSF CXCL13 concentrations were significantly increased in all of the HIV-infected patients with ANS, the 25 HIV patients with syphilis and the 9 ANS patients without HIV, but not in the patients of the other two control groups. CSF CXCL13 concentrations declined in the two study groups of patients following neurosyphilis therapy. Therefore, CSF CXCL13 concentrations could improve the diagnosis of ANS in HIV-infected patients.