Spirochaete
Spirochaetes (or Spirochetes) are the phylum Spirochaetae. These are double-membrane bacteria with long, helically coiled (spiral-shaped) cells.
Spirochaetes are bacteria. They have flagella, which run lengthwise between the cell wall and outer membrane. The flagella cause a twisting motion which moves the spirochaete about.
Most spirochaetes are free-living and anaerobic, but there are many parasitic species.
Classification
The spirochaetes are divided into three families (Brachyspiraceae, Leptospiraceae, and Spirochaetaceae). They are all put in a single order, the Spirochaetales. Disease-causing members of this phylum include:
- Leptospira species, some of which cause leptospirosis[1]
- Borrelia species, some of which cause Lyme disease
- Borrelia recurrentis, which causes relapsing fever.[2]
- Treponema pallidum subspecies which cause syphilis and yaws.
- Brachyspira species, which cause intestinal spirochaetosis.[3]
Spirochaete Media
Cross section of a spirochaete cell
References
- ↑ McBride A.. Leptospirosis. Current Opinion in Infectious Diseases 18 (5) (2005). p. 376–86. doi:10.1097/01.qco.0000178824.05715.2c.
- ↑ Schwan T. Ticks and Borrelia: model systems for investigating pathogen-arthropod interactions. Infect Agents Dis 5 (3) (1996). p. 167–81.
- ↑ Amat Villegas I.. Colonic spirochetes: an infrequent cause of adult diarrhea (in Spanish). Gastroenterol Hepatol 27 (1) (2004). p. 21–3. doi:10.1016/s0210-5705(03)70440-3.
Other websites
- Introduction to the Spirochetes. UCMP. [1]