Treponema Pallidum

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Etiology/Bacteriology

Taxonomy
Domain: Bacteria
Phylum: Spirochaetes
Order: Spirochaetales
Family: Spirochaetaceae
Genus: Treponema
Species: T. pallidum

Description Treponema pallidum is a mobile, spirochete bacteria that has subspecies that can cause treponemal diseases such as syphilis, pinta, bejel, and yaws. Syphilis is caused by the subspecies T. pallidum pallidum, pinta is caused by T. pallidum carateum, bejel is caused by T. pallidum endemicum, and Yaws is caused by T. pallidum pertenue. T. pallidum is a small bacterium that cannot be seen via Gram stain because it is too thin. However, it can be viewed by using dyes like Dieterle Stain (1).

References

[Sample reference] Takai, K., Sugai, A., Itoh, T., and Horikoshi, K. "Palaeococcus ferrophilus gen. nov., sp. nov., a barophilic, hyperthermophilic archaeon from a deep-sea hydrothermal vent chimney". International Journal of Systematic and Evolutionary Microbiology. 2000. Volume 50. p. 489-500.
(1)http://www.princeton.edu/~achaney/tmve/wiki100k/docs/Treponema_pallidum.html

Created by Rachael Acosta, student of Tyrrell Conway at the University of Oklahoma.