Spirochetes

• What does "teles" refer to in Spirochaetes?

  Order
• What is the family of Leptospira?

  Leptospiraceae
• What are the genera under Spirochaetaceae?

  Borrelia and Treponema
• Why is Gram staining not performed on suspected Spirochaetes specimens?

  They are difficult to Gram stain
• What is the morphology of Spirochaetes?

  Helically coiled
• What is the oxygen requirement for Spirochaetes?

  Anaerobes, facultative microaerophilic
• What is the size range of Spirochaetes?

  0.1-0.5 µm wide and 5-20 µm long
• What structure do Spirochaetes use for movement?

  Periplasmic flagella or axial filaments
• How can the three genera under Spirochaetales be differentiated?

  By the number of axial filaments and insertion disks
• What are the characteristics of Treponema?

  • Tightly coiled
  • 6-10 axial filaments
  • 1 insertion disk
• What are the characteristics of Borrelia?

  • Thicker coiling
  • 30-40 axial filaments
  • 2 insertion disks
• What are the characteristics of Leptospira?

  • Thicker coiling with hook ends
  • 2 axial filaments
  • 3-5 insertion disks
• What is the method of diagnosis for Treponema?

  Serology
• What diseases are caused by Treponema?

  Syphilis, Bejel, Pinta, Yaws
• What is the method of diagnosis for Borrelia?

  Giemsa, Serology
• What diseases are caused by Borrelia?

  Lyme Disease, Relapsing Fever
• What is the method of diagnosis for Leptospira?

  Culture, Serology
• What disease is caused by Leptospira?

  Weil’s Disease or Infectious Jaundice
• What sample is used for serological assays?

  Serum
• Why is Borrelia known as blood spirochete?

  It is mainly found in the blood
• What is the culture method for Leptospira?

  In vitro using artificial culture medium
• Why are Treponema and Borrelia not cultured?

  They are not cultivable in agar medium
• What is the microscope of choice for Treponema?

  Darkfield or fluorescent microscope
• How many periplasmic flagella does Treponema have?

  Three periplasmic flagella
• What is the main mode of transmission for Yaws?

  Direct contact with open skin lesion
• What are the initial lesions of Yaws like?

  Heal spontaneously and reappear
• What is the drug of choice for syphilis?

  Benzathine Penicillin G
• What is Jarisch-Herxheimer syndrome?

  An adverse reaction to penicillin treatment
• What is the characteristic of congenital syphilis?

  Notched teeth or Sabershins
• What are the stages of syphilis?

  1. Primary
  2. Secondary
  3. Latent
  4. Tertiary
• What are the characteristic lesions of each stage of syphilis?

  • Primary: Chancre
  • Secondary: Condylomata lata
  • Tertiary: Gummas or Gummata
  • Congenital: Notched teeth or Sabershins
• What is the incubation period for syphilis?

  10-90 days, average 14-21 days
• What is the significance of darkfield microscopy in syphilis diagnosis?

  It observes motility and characteristics
• What is the role of serological testing in syphilis diagnosis?

  Detects antibodies against Treponema
• What are non-treponemal antibodies used for?

  Screening for venereal syphilis
• What tests are used for treponemal antibodies?

  FTA-ABS, MHT, TPI
• What is the first drug of choice for syphilis?

  Salvarsan
• What is the main characteristic of T. pallidum subsp. pallidum?

  Obligate intracellular pathogen
• What is the significance of the Great Imitator in syphilis?

  It mimics signs of other diseases
• What are the two theories on the spread of syphilis?

  Pre-Columbian and Columbian theories