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What symptoms can result from tabes dorsalis caused by syphilis?
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syphilis
Scanning electron micrograph of Treponema pallidum, the spirochete bacterium that is the causative agent of syphilis.
Tabes dorsalis is a rare neurologic manifestation of tertiary syphilis caused by the degeneration of the dorsal roots of the spinal cord. Symptoms, which may appear more than 25 years after the initial infection, include:12
- Pain and Sensory Deficits: The condition often begins with "lightning pain"—transient, stabbing pains in the legs. Patients eventually lose the ability to sense pain, temperature, and limb position.1
- Motor Impairment: Progressive loss of muscular coordination (ataxia) leads to a spasmodic, uneven gait, often making unassisted walking impossible.12
- Reflex and Autonomic Issues: Patients experience a loss of tendon reflexes and may lose bladder or bowel control.1
- Physical Complications: Severe foot ulcerations and Charcot joints (osteoarthritis affecting the knees and hips) can occur.1
- Ocular Changes: The pupils may lose their ability to react to light.1
While treatment with penicillin can eliminate the causative organism, Treponema pallidum, it cannot reverse the existing nervous system degeneration.1