Ocular Syphilis Presenting as Acute Necrotizing Retinitis in a Human Immunodeficiency Virus-Positive Patient

The incidence of ocular syphilis is increasing in the developing world even in the era of effective human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) treatment, as there is a potential increase of high-risk sexual behavior. Ocular involvement in the form of uveitis is seen in all stages of syphilis. Diagnosis begins with ophthalmologic examination, but requires serologic testing for confirmation. Ocular syphilis presents with unusual presentations or mimics other diseases and is identified by serological screening. It is curable with a relatively short course of antibiotic treatment, making its recognition a priority. All ophthalmic manifestations of syphilis should be treated with a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention-approved neurosyphilis regimen. In this report, we present a case of necrotizing retinitis with no response to antiviral treatment. On subsequent serological testing it was proved as syphilis in a HIV-positive patient who responded well to intravenous antibiotics with rapid visual recovery. Hence, awareness of this disease will promote early diagnosis and treatment.