Syphilis, once considered a disease in decline, has re-emerged as a significant public health concern in the United States. This case report presents the clinical course of a 42-year-old male with a rare presentation of neurosyphilis. The patient presented twice to the ER within 60 days with vague intermittent symptoms, including numbness/tingling of his hands and feet, which the patient initially ignored....
Single case report only — no change to audiology practice is warranted, but it serves as a reminder to consider syphilis-related hearing loss in the differential diagnosis when patients present with unexplained sudden or progressive sensorineural hearing loss.
The reemergence of syphilis as a public health concern means audiologists may encounter more cases of syphilitic hearing loss or otosyphilis, a treatable but often missed cause of sensorineural hearing loss.
- 01Case report of a 42-year-old presenting with neurosyphilis, published in Cureus (2026).
- 02Highlights rising syphilis rates in the US as a renewed public health concern.
- 03Neurosyphilis can cause sensorineural hearing loss (nerve-related hearing loss) and balance problems.
- 04Otosyphilis (syphilis affecting the ear) is treatable if caught early.
- 05Clinicians should keep infectious causes in the differential for unexplained hearing or vestibular symptoms.
Syphilis is re-emerging as a significant public health concern in the United States.
opinionpartially supported- PMID
- 42416928
- DOI
- 10.7759/cureus.110409.
- Journal
- Cureus
- Publication type
- case_report
- Evidence level
- 4
- Sample size
- 1
- Population
- 42-year-old patient with neurosyphilis
- Intervention
- Clinical description and management of neurosyphilis
Primary outcomes
Clinical presentation and diagnosis of neurosyphilis; Public health implications of syphilis reemergence