Treponema pallidum
Species of bacterium / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Dear Wikiwand AI, let's keep it short by simply answering these key questions:
Can you list the top facts and stats about Treponema pallidum?
Summarize this article for a 10 year old
Treponema pallidum, formerly known as Spirochaeta pallida, is a microaerophilic spirochaete bacterium with subspecies that cause the diseases syphilis, bejel (also known as endemic syphilis), and yaws. It is transmitted only among humans.[1] It is a helically coiled microorganism usually 6–15 μm long and 0.1–0.2 μm wide.[1] T. pallidum's lack of either a tricarboxylic acid cycle or oxidative phosphorylation results in minimal metabolic activity.[2] The treponemes have a cytoplasmic and an outer membrane. Using light microscopy, treponemes are visible only by using dark-field illumination. T. pallidum consists of three subspecies, T. p. pallidum, T. p. endemicum, and T. p. pertenue, each of which has a distinct associated disease.[3]
Treponema pallidum | |
---|---|
Scientific classification | |
Domain: | Bacteria |
Phylum: | Spirochaetota |
Class: | Spirochaetia |
Order: | Spirochaetales |
Family: | Treponemataceae |
Genus: | Treponema |
Species: | T. pallidum |
Binomial name | |
Treponema pallidum | |