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Syphilis is a contagious sexually transmitted infection notable for its complex array of systemic presentations. It is caused by the spirochaete Treponema pallidum and although once considered to be a largely historical condition in the UK, the recent rise in incidence makes syphilis increasingly relevant when considering unusual presentations in at-risk patients. The disease has three stages: primary, secondary and tertiary. The tertiary stage is associated with a plethora of neurological features ranging from psychosis to seizure caused by direct invasion of the spirochaete into the central nervous system. Here we describe the case of a 45-year-old man presenting with tonic clonic seizures on a background of balance and visual problems. Following normal examination and routine investigations further serology confirmed a diagnosis of neurosyphilis. The patient was started on appropriate treatment and made an excellent clinical recovery.

Early in my medical career, I was caring for a middle aged man with a disabling chronic disease that had left him bedbound. While he could barely open his mouth to eat, he could open it enough to drink, as evidenced by his multiple admissions with acute alcohol withdrawal. On this occasion, he had been admitted with an exacerbation of his underlying illness, accompanied by alcohol withdrawal and aspiration pneumonia. This time he did not seem his usual self. He had lost a lot of weight and had the …