%0 Case Reports
%T Neurosyphilis Presenting as Psychiatric Symptoms at Younger Age: A Case Report.
%A Li HY
%A Wang HY
%A Duan YF
%A Gou Y
%A Liu XQ
%A Gao ZX
%J Int Med Case Rep J
%V 17
%N 0
%D 2024
%M 38974881
暂无%R 10.2147/IMCRJ.S477459
%X Neurosyphilis is a central nervous system infection caused by Treponema pallidum that imitates various neurological and mental disorders. Therefore, patients with this disease are prone to misdiagnoses. Here, we report a case of neurosyphilis with a psychotic disorder as the main manifestation. A young girl exhibited mental and behavioural abnormalities after a heartbreak, which manifested as alternating low mood, emotional irritability, and a lack of interest in social relations, followed by memory loss. The cerebrospinal fluid protein - Treponema pallidum particle agglutination test was positive, the toluidine red unheated serum test titre was 1:4, the white blood cell count was 5 × 10^6/L, the cerebrospinal fluid protein level was 0.97 g/L, and the brain CT was abnormal. After admission, the possibility of neurosyphilis was considered and the patient received intravenous penicillin G treatment. The patient's clinical symptom ms improved. This case emphasises that doctors should maintain clinical suspicion of Treponema pallidum infection in adolescent patients with mental abnormalities.