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Optical examination revealed unilateral papillitis in the left eye and no relative afferent pupillary defects. The patient underwent visual field examinations with conventional perimetry using the 30-2 program of the Humphrey Visual Field Analyzer, which indicated a blind spot enlargement in the left eye. Optical coherence tomography, visual evoked potentials (VEP), and fluorescein angiograms revealed inflammation of the optic nerve head with edematous and blurred margins. A reactive<jats:italic>T. pallidum<\/jats:italic>hemagglutination assay with low rapid plasma reagin (RPR) serum titer was performed; an HIV antibody test and MRI of the orbits and head with contrast gave negative results. Resolution of the ocular inflammation after intravenous penicillin treatment was obtained. The reported case illustrates the importance of early recognition of this treatable disease. The rise of syphilis, especially in urban areas, necessitates a high level of suspicion when dealing with patients with intraocular inflammation of unknown origin. Lues serology should be incorporated into routine laboratory diagnostics to aid in the detection of such cases. Considering the re-emergence of syphilis, screening of migrants from countries with high syphilis seroprevalences should be recommended.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.1186\/2047-783x-17-3","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2012,2,14]],"date-time":"2012-02-14T11:14:33Z","timestamp":1329218073000},"update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1007\/springer_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":12,"title":["An immunocompetent migrant presenting with neurosyphilis with an unusual unilateral papillitis: a case report"],"prefix":"10.1186","volume":"17","author":[{"given":"Paolo","family":"Turchetti","sequence":"first","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Fernanda","family":"Pacella","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Elena","family":"Pacella","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Concetta","family":"Mirisola","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Ilaria","family":"Uccella","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]}],"member":"297","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2012,2,14]]},"reference":[{"key":"3_CR1","volume-title":"Syphilis and gonorrhoea in men who have sex with men: a European overview","author":"EJ Savage","year":"2009","unstructured":"Savage EJ, Hughes G, Ison C, Lowndes CM, European Surveillance of Sexually Transmitted Infections Network: Syphilis and gonorrhoea in men who have sex with men: a European overview. 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