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  • Treponema Pallidum: Microbiology

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    Zeth Moturi
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    Treponema pallidum is a delicate, spiral-shaped bacterium that causes the sexually transmitted disease syphilis. It is a gram-negative bacterium with an outer membrane that lacks polysaccharides, making it vulnerable to damage. T. pallidum can be transmitted sexually or through contact with infected skin lesions, blood transfusions, or from mother to fetus. It is treated with penicillin but can cause serious long-term complications if left untreated.

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    Treponema pallidum is a delicate, spiral-shaped bacterium that causes the sexually transmitted disease syphilis. It is a gram-negative bacterium with an outer membrane that lacks polysaccharides, making it vulnerable to damage. T. pallidum can be transmitted sexually or through contact with infected skin lesions, blood transfusions, or from mother to fetus. It is treated with penicillin but can cause serious long-term complications if left untreated.

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    11 views5 pages

    Treponema Pallidum: Microbiology

    Uploaded by

    Zeth Moturi
    Treponema pallidum is a delicate, spiral-shaped bacterium that causes the sexually transmitted disease syphilis. It is a gram-negative bacterium with an outer membrane that lacks polysaccharides, making it vulnerable to damage. T. pallidum can be transmitted sexually or through contact with infected skin lesions, blood transfusions, or from mother to fetus. It is treated with penicillin but can cause serious long-term complications if left untreated.

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    of 5

    Treponema Pallidum

    Microbiology

    Treponema pallidum is a bacterium, that is quite famous in its family,


    since it is the causative agent for the king of Sexually
    Transmitted Diseases which is said to be Syphilis.

    Syphilis

    What is Treponema Pallidum?

    Treponema pallidum is a delicate, obligate bacterium that causes


    multistage chronic infection. Treponema is a genus, belonging to the
    Spirochaetaceae family.

    Spirochaetaceae Family

    The genus Treponema is divided into two main categories:

    • Pathogenic species & their sub species

    • Non-pathogenic species and their subspecies.

    TREPONEMA PALLIDUM MICROBIOLOGY | sqadia.com


    Is Treponema Pallidum Gram Positive or Negative?
    Peptidoglycan Cell
    Wall
    T. pallidum is like every other gram-negative bacteria.
    It constitutes a cell wall made up of peptidoglycan, an Inner
    Membrane
    inner membrane, and an outer membrane. But the
    outer membrane of Treponema Pallidum lacks Outer Membrane

    polysaccharide thus making it more vulnerable to


    Treponema Structure
    damage.

    Treponema Pallidum - Mode of Transmission

    The transmission of Treponema Pallidum might be via:

    • Sexual contact

    • Contaminated blood transfusion

    • Direct contact with the contaminated skin lesion

    • Through transplacental route.

    TREPONEMA PALLIDUM MICROBIOLOGY | sqadia.com


    Treponema Pallidum Microscopy

    Treponema pallidum gram stain results in a very weak stain. So, silver
    impregnation technique is one of the most traditional techniques of
    viewing Treponema species.

    Treponema Pallidum Pathogenicity

    The pathogenicity of T. pallidum directly relates to its genome since its


    genome is responsible for all the diseases it causes in
    humans.

    The genome of T. pallidum constitutes 1 138 006


    base pairs, containing 1041 predicted coding
    sequences. The virulence factor constitutes 12 membrane proteins and
    several putative hemolysis.

    Treponema Pallidum Pathophysiology

    It also constitutes flagella which is present in between an inner and an


    outer membrane. The rotational movement of flagella along its longitudinal

    TREPONEMA PALLIDUM MICROBIOLOGY | sqadia.com


    axis is responsible for the mobility, thus making it possible for the pathogen
    to penetrate and disseminate into the skin.

    T. pallidum penetrates the mucosal lining and attaches itself to the host
    cell. Following adherence, it multiplies itself and start to disseminate
    through blood and into distant organs.

    Due to the presence of an outer agent inside the body, cell mediated
    immunity comes into action. This action results in the
    formation of lesions.

    Lesions
    Treatment of Choice for Treponema Pallidum

    All these Treponema pallidum bacteria are vulnerable to benzylpenicillin


    (penicillin G), which can be utilized to treat the
    early stages of disease. It is particularly important
    to check the history of the patient before
    Penicillin G
    prescribing penicillin to avoid hypersensitive reactions.

    Treponema Pallidum - Pathogenic Species

    There are four humans pathogenic species and subspecies of Treponema.

    • Treponema pallidum - Sub-specie Pallidum (causes Syphilis)

    TREPONEMA PALLIDUM MICROBIOLOGY | sqadia.com


    • Treponema pallidum - Sub-specie Endemicum (Causes non-venereal
    syphilis or bejel)

    • Treponema pallidum - Sub-specie Pertenue (responsible for Yaws)

    • Treponema carateum (causes Pinta)

    Dermal Depigmentation in Pinta

    Treponema Pallidum - Non-pathogenic Species

    The most common non-pathogenic species and subspecies of Treponema


    are:

    • Treponema denticola (Causing periodontal disease)

    • Brachyspira aalborgi

    • Brachyspira pilosicoli Human intestinal morbidities

    • Brachyspira hominis

    TREPONEMA PALLIDUM MICROBIOLOGY | sqadia.com

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