Tabes, << TAY beez, >> is a medical term that refers to the wasting away of the body. Today, physicians use the term almost exclusively to describe a wasting of the nervous system caused by advanced, untreated syphilis, a sexually transmitted disease (see Syphilis ). If the syphilis infection is located in the spinal cord, the dorsal (back) portion of the spinal cord may begin to waste away. This condition is referred to as tabes dorsalis. The condition is characterized by lightning pains (sudden, sharp pains), a loss of coordination, and abnormalities of the eye and pupil. Early treatment of syphilis with penicillin or other antibiotics can prevent the development of tabes.
