In simple words: Late-stage syphilis can cause problems in different parts of the body, even years after the first infection.Symptoms depend on the affected area and can range from headaches and confusion to severe problems with organs like the liver or lungs.Doctors diagnose it through blood tests and sometimes by looking at samples under a microscope. Treatment usually involves antibiotics and addressing the specific problems in the affected organs.

Symptomatic late syphilis manifests years after the initial infection and can impact various organ systems. Symptoms vary depending on the affected organ and can include neurological issues (headache, behavioral changes, incoordination, paralysis, sensory loss, dementia), respiratory problems, genitourinary complications, eye disorders, and bone, joint, muscle, or liver involvement, which can be fatal. Diagnosis involves patient history, blood tests (serological tests for syphilis), dark-field microscopy, and PCR analysis of tissue and fluid samples. Treatment includes antibiotics and organ-specific management. Patient education focuses on prevention and early detection to avoid complications.

Example 1: A patient presents with neurological symptoms like dementia and sensory loss years after a syphilis diagnosis.Code A52.7 is used to document the late-stage neurological involvement., A patient with a history of untreated syphilis develops liver complications.Code A52.7 is applied to reflect the symptomatic late syphilis affecting the liver. , A patient exhibits bone and joint pain, along with a history of syphilis.Diagnostic tests confirm syphilis as the cause, and A52.7 is used to capture the musculoskeletal manifestations of late-stage syphilis.

Documentation should include patient history (including previous syphilis diagnosis and treatment), physical exam findings, results of serological tests for syphilis, dark-field microscopy, and PCR analysis (if performed), and details of organ-specific involvement and treatment.