[Ocular Syphilis - Update].

Syphilis is a bacterial infectious disease transmitted by the spirochaete Treponema pallidum. The rate of infection has increased during the last decade. Ocular syphilis is an underestimated presentation of the disease, and it is increased in HIV-positive patients. Even though every part of the eye may be affected, syphilis most commonly occurs with posterior or panuveitis. A distinctive pattern is acute syphilitic placoid chorioretinitis, with typical features in multimodal imaging. If syphilis is suspected, specific and nonspecific Treponema pallidum serological diagnostic tests are mandatory. Clinical outcome, or morphology and vision are commonly improved if antibiotic therapy (penicillin is the drug of choice) is instituted early. Additional corticosteroids are carefully applied according to individual need, and should be initiated after the start of antibiotics.