Could ceftriaxone be a viable alternative to penicillin for the treatment of ocular syphilis?

This study was conducted to compare the effectiveness of ceftriaxone with that of aqueous crystalline penicillin G in treating ocular syphilis. We conducted a retrospective study from 2010 to 2021. Syphilis patients were administered either ceftriaxone (2 g intravenously daily for 14 days) or aqueous crystalline penicillin G [4 million units (MU) intravenously every 4 h for 14 days] as therapeutic interventions.

Clinical parameter-based prediction model for neurosyphilis risk stratification.

Accurately predicting neurosyphilis prior to a lumbar puncture (LP) is critical for the prompt management of neurosyphilis. However, a valid and reliable model for this purpose is still lacking. This study aimed to develop a nomogram for the accurate identification of neurosyphilis in patients with syphilis.

Quantified Detection of Treponema pallidum DNA by PCR Assays in Urine and Plasma of Syphilis Patients.

Treponema pallidum can invade any organ, and T. pallidum DNA can be detected in various tissues and fluids. However, the knowledge of the presence and loads of T.

A New Specimen for Syphilis Diagnosis: Evidence by High Loads of Treponema pallidum DNA in Saliva.

Background: DNA from many pathogens can be detected in saliva. However, the presence and quantity of Treponema pallidum DNA in patients with syphilis in saliva is unknown.

Methods: 234 patients with syphilis with different stages and 30 volunteers were enrolled.

Fracmemristor chaotic oscillator with multistable and antimonotonicity properties.

Memristor is a non-linear circuit element in which voltage-current relationship is determined by the previous values of the voltage and current, generally the history of the circuit. The nonlinearity in this component can be considered as a fractional-order form, which yields a fractional memristor (fracmemristor). In this paper, a fractional-order memristor in a chaotic oscillator is applied, while the other electronic elements are of integer order.

MicroRNA-221 inhibits human papillomavirus 16 E1-E2 mediated DNA replication through activating SOCS1/Type I IFN signaling pathway.

Human Papillomavirus (HPV) 16 infection has led to clinical disorders and is considered one of the important causes of human cervical cancer. Recently, microRNAs (miRNAs) have been proven to play an important role in many viral infections through regulating the Type I IFN immune response. However, reports concerning the role of miRNAs in HPV 16 infection are unclear.

Aberrant Humoral Immune Responses in Neurosyphilis: CXCL13/CXCR5 Play a Pivotal Role for B-Cell Recruitment to the Cerebrospinal Fluid.

Background: Previous studies documented that humoral immune responses participated in neurological damage in neurosyphilis patients. However, the mechanisms that trigger and maintain humoral immunity involved in neurosyphilis remain unknown.

Methods: Using flow cytometry, expression of B cells was measured in neurosyphilis and non-neurosyphilis.

Neutropenia induced by high-dose intravenous benzylpenicillin in treating neurosyphilis: Does it really matter?

Background: Prompt therapy with high-dose intravenous benzylpenicillin for a prolonged period is critical for neurosyphilis patients to avoid irreversible sequelae. However, life-threatening neutropenia has been reported as a complication of prolonged therapy with high doses of benzylpenicillin when treating other diseases. This study aimed to investigate the incidence, presentation, management and prognosis of benzylpenicillin-induced neutropenia in treating neurosyphilis based on a large sample of syphilis patients in Shanghai.

CXCL13, CXCL10 and CXCL8 as Potential Biomarkers for the Diagnosis of Neurosyphilis Patients.

At present, diagnosis for neurosyphilis remains a major clinical challenge. Venereal Disease Research Laboratory (VDRL) titer of the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) is suboptimally sensitive to diagnose neurosyphilis, which can be negative in neurosyphilis patients, especially in asymptomatic neurosyphilis patients. In the search for biomarkers of neurosyphilis, we investigated the chemokine profile in CSF of neurosyphilis patients and found that the concentrations of CXCL13, CXCL10 and CXCL8 were selectively elevated in neurosyphilis patients and correlated with CSF protein concentration and CSF-VDRL titer.

High frequency of the 23S rRNA A2058G mutation of Treponema pallidum in Shanghai is associated with a current strategy for the treatment of syphilis.

The preferred drugs for the treatment of syphilis, benzathine and procaine penicillin, have not been available in Shanghai for many years, and currently, the incidence of syphilis is increasing. Alternative antibiotics for patients with syphilis during the benzathine and procaine penicillin shortage include macrolides. The failure of macrolide treatment in syphilis patients has been reported in Shanghai, but the reason for this treatment failure remains unclear.

Increased interleukin-17 in peripheral blood and cerebrospinal fluid of neurosyphilis patients.

Background: Treponema pallidum infection evokes vigorous immune responses, resulting in tissue damage. Several studies have demonstrated that IL-17 may be involved in the pathogenesis of syphilis. However, the role of Th17 response in neurosyphilis remains unclear.

Regulatory T cells in peripheral blood and cerebrospinal fluid of syphilis patients with and without neurological involvement.

Background: Syphilis, a sexually transmitted disease caused by spirochetal bacterium Treponema pallidum, can progress to affect the central nervous system, causing neurosyphilis. Accumulating evidence suggest that regulatory T cells (Tregs) may play an important role in the pathogenesis of syphilis. However, little is known about Treg response in neurosyphilis.

Molecular typing of Treponema pallidum: a 5-year surveillance in Shanghai, China.

Previously, a small study showed that 14f was the predominant subtype of Treponema pallidum in Shanghai, China. The result was quite different from the genotype distribution in other areas of China. This study aimed to identify the strain types of Treponema pallidum in samples collected over a 5-year period in Shanghai.

Re-evaluation of serological criteria for early syphilis treatment efficacy: progression to neurosyphilis despite therapy.

Objectives: To study 17 cases of secondary syphilis that progressed to neurosyphilis despite appropriate treatments and whose rapid plasma reagin (RPR) titres showed a fourfold decrease within 6 months but did not revert to negative.

Methods: Secondary syphilis patients with the following criteria were analysed: (1) RPR titres declined fourfold within 3 months after therapy, (2) patients denied high-risk sexual behaviours following treatment, (3) RPR titre remained serofast 24 months after treatment, (4) reactive cerebrospinal fluid (CSF)-venereal disease research laboratory (VDRL) and CSF-Treponema pallidum Particle Agglutination Test (TPPA) and (5) HIV antibody negative.

Results: 14 male and three female patients met the criteria.

Azithromycin treatment failure among primary and secondary syphilis patients in Shanghai.

Background: Azithromycin has been used to treat primary and secondary syphilis and as prophylaxis for sexual partners. We evaluated syphilis treatment failure in patients who received azithromycin therapy.

Methods: Patients who did not respond to azithromycin therapy were referred to Shanghai Skin Disease and sexually transmitted disease hospital.

Nonvenereal transmission of syphilis in infancy by mouth-to-mouth transfer of prechewed food.

Early recognition of acquired syphilis in childhood is vital. Children may acquire syphilis as a consequence of kissing, breast-feeding, or handling. We report 2 cases of infantile syphilis transmitted by mouth-to-mouth feeding from actively infected relatives.