Intrathecal production of treponemal antibodies was detected in six (25%)patients with early and 44 (28%) with late syphilis who did not show any neurological deficit. Intrathecal production of treponemal antibodies indicating that the CNS was affected led us to suspect asymptomatic neurosyphilis in these patients. Seventeen (1 1 %) patients with late syphilis but no neurosyphilis and only one (4%) with early syphilis showed additional abnormal CSF variables . Surprisingly, six out of 22 patients with treated early and 20 out of 68 patients with treated late syphilis showed evidence of treponemal antibody production within the CNS .We do not know whether these findings indicate that the CNS was affected because of inadequate treatment or merely reflect persistent synthesis of treponemal antibodies associated with cured infection. In one (4%) patient with early and in 21 ( 1 3%)with late syphilis but no neurosyphilis abnormal CSF variables in the absence ofpositive CSF treponemal test results were observed, which excluded syphilitic inflammation of the CNS.