SPIROCHAETES

SPEIRA - COIL

CHAITE - HAIR

SPIROCHAETES are elongated motile flexible bacteria twisted spirally along the long axis .They are
structurally more complex than other bacteria .

SPIROCHAETES do not possess flagella , but are motile

Varying numbers of fine fibrils between the outer membrane and the inner peptidoglycan

layer of the cell . The fibrils are anchored at the two of the cell

The spiral shape and the serpentine motility of the cell depend on the integrity of these
filaments
Morphology of
spirochaetes
 Human
pathogens

Gener TREPONEMA
a

BORRELIA

LEPTOSPIRA
 TREPONEMA
Treponemes (trepos , meaning to turn , and nema ,meaning thread ),

are slender spirochaetes with fine spirals and pointed or

rounded ends Pathogenic treponemes cause the following

diseases in man
1. Venereal Treponema
syphilis pallidum
2. Endemic Treponema
syphilis pallidum
3. Yaws Treponema
4. Pinta pertenue
Treponema
 Treponema pallidum
Treponema pallidum , the causative agent of syphilis, was discovered by Schaudinn and
Hoffmann (1905) in the chancres and inguinal lymph nodes of syphilitic patients .

Morphology : Long , slender helically tightly coiled bacteria

CORKSCREW MOTILITY

GRAM NEGATIVE

Cannot be seen under the light microscope,its morphology & motility can be seen under the dark
ground microscope

It does not take ordinary bacterial stains

It can be stained by silver impregnation methods

Pathogenic treponema do not grow in artificial media it is possible to maintain T. pallidum in motile
and virulent form for 10 - 12 days in complex media under anaerobic conditions
 Resistanc
e
Inactivated in one hour at 41 - 42 degree C

Inactivated when in contact with oxygen ,soap , distilled

water ,arsenicals , mercurials , common antiseptic agents
 Antigenic
structure
Induces three types of antibodies

The first is the antibody that reacts in standard or nonspecific

serological tests for syphilis such as Wassermann , Kahn , and VDRL

Group antigen found in pathogenic & non pathogenic Treponemes

Polysaccharide antigen found in species specific , demonstrated by

specific Treponema pallidum tests
 SYPHILIS

Transmitted from direct sexual contact or from mother to foetus .

30% chance of acquiring disease after single exposure to infected

partner, but transmission rate depend upon stage of disease

The clinical manifestations fall into three stages

Primary

Secondary

Tertiary
 Primary
syphilis
Incubationatperiod
Develops 10of- 90
the site days or
contact ( usually 21 days)
inoculation

Multiplies at the site of entry ,a small painless primary lesion called

chancre is formed. Appears on genitalia , labia , vaginal wall ,

cervix ,perianal area, mouth & anal canal

The chancre is a painless relatively avascular , circumscribed ,

indurated ,superficially ulcerated lesion , it is known as hard chancre (soft sore - H.
ducreyi)

It is also known as Hunterian chancre after John Hunter who produced the lesion
on himself experimentally and described the evolution of disease.
 Secondary
Secondary syphilis sets in two tosyphilis
six months after primary lesion heals , during which
period the patient is asymptomatic .

The secondary lesions are due to widespread multiplication of the spirochaetes and their
dissemination through the bloodstream.

Roseolar or papular skin rashes

Mucous patches in the oropharynx and condylomata at mucocutaneous

junctions Large number of organisms in the lesions , patient is most

infectious during this stage Sometimes ophthalmic , osseous and

Headache
meningeal ,involvement
malaise , anorexia , weight loss , nausea , vomiting , slight
sore throat fever ,
 LATENT SYPHILIS
After several weeks secondary lesions disappear & disease becomes
latent .

Not infectious at this stage

EXCEPT FOR TRANSMISSION FROM MOTHER TO FOETUS (CONGENITAL

SYPHILIS)
 TERTIARY SYPHILIS
Develops after many years in persons with untreated secondary syphilis

Appearance of degenerative lesions called GUMMAS (rubbery tumors) (chronic

granulomata) in skin , bones , & nervous system .

Cardiovascular lesions & meningovascular lesions , Lesions contain few number of

spirochaetes Bone deformities , blindness , loss of coordination ,

In a few cases neurological manifestations , such as

.Tabes dorsalis (Slow degeneration of the nerve cells & nerve fibers , )

General paralysis of insane( paralytic dementia )

These neurological manifestations develop several decades after initial infection

 CONGENITAL SYPHILIS
Congenital syphilis occurs when Treponema pallidum is
transmitted from a pregnant women to her foetus

It may leads to

Stillbirth and neonatal death

Infant disorders such as deafness , neurologic impairment and bone

deformities Abnormal notched and peg shaped teeth ,called

Hutchinson teeth

Transmission can occur during any stage of syphilis

 LABORATORY DIAGNOSIS
Demonstration of the spirochaetes under the microscope and of
antibodies in serum or CSF

Dark field microscopy

Direct fluorescent antibody T.

pallidum(DFA - TP PCR

Serological tests (STS)

NON TREPONEMAL TESTS

TREPONEMAL TESTS
Non treponemal tests

Complement fixation test - Wassermann reaction

Formerly the most commonly used test for the diagnosis of syphilis . A sample of the patient’s blood is
examined ,using a complement fixation reaction , for the presence of antibodies to the
organism ,Treponema pallidum . A positive reaction indicates presence of antibodies , infection with
syphilis , antibody test for syphilis
Flocculation tests

Venereal disease Research Laboratory (VDRL) -most widely used

serological test , blood test for syphilis

KAHN test is a tube flocculation test

YAWS - also known as framboesia , pian parangi

Causative agent - Treponema pertenue

The primary lesion is an extragenital papule which enlarges and breaks down to form
an ulcerating granuloma

Secondary and tertiary manifestations are

there Cardiovascular and neurological

manifestations rare PINTA Caused by

Treponema carateum

Primary lesion - extragenital papule ,secondary skin lesions are characterised by

hyperpigmentation or hypopigmentation