Persistence of Treponema pallidum following penicillin G therapy. Report of two cases

Abstract

The isolation of T. pallidum from cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) obtained from 2 adult patients, both of whom had normal CSF values except for positive fluorescent treponemal antibody-absorption (FTA-ABS) tests and both of whom had received currently recommended courses of penicillin, raises important considerations in the treatment of neurosyphilis in adults.