LATENT SYPHILIS
LATENT SYPHILIS ICD-10: A53.0
• Suspected on the basis of a history of primary or secondary lesions, history of exposure to syphilis, or delivery of an infant with congenital syphilis; can occur without prior recognized primary or secondary lesions.
• Treatment: As for primary syphilis (see p. 809).
CLINICAL MANIFESTATION
No clinical signs or symptoms of infection; STS positive; CSF is normal. COURSE A previous negative STS defines the duration of latency. Early latent syphilis (<1 year) is distinguished from late latent disease (≥1 year). Latent disease does not preclude
infectiousness or the development of gummatous skin lesions, cardiovascular lesions, or neurosyphilis. Maternal-fetal transmission can occur. Seventy percent of untreated patients never develop clinically evident tertiary syphilis. The more sensitive treponemal antibody test rarely becomes negative without treatment.