General term for any microorganism of the order Spirochaetales. This spiral, gram‐negative, highly motile bacterium is characterized by a flexible cell wall. It is markedly increased in number in diseased periodontal pockets. The major genus in diseased periodontal tissues is Treponema.
Member of an order of microorganisms that have a slender, spiral shape.
A bacteria of the class spirilla. It is corkscrew in shape and is responsible for syphilis infection, among others.
Motile, spiral-shaped microorganism, including the causative agents of syphilis and leptospirosis.
A member of a group of spiral shaped, elongated bacteria. Spirochetes are long, slender, and tightly coiled like tiny springs. They can cause serious disease in humans, principally infections of the genital, urinary, and gastrointestinal tracts. Among the diseases caused by spirochetes are syphilis, relapsing fever, and Lyme disease. The characteristic environment of spirochetes is liquid; this includes mud and water in the natural environment and blood and lymph fluid in the bodies of humans and animals. The bacteria can survive with or without oxygen and may be free-living or parasitic. In some cases, the parasitic spirochetes may be beneficial to their hosts. A type of spirochete that lives in a part of a cow’s stomach, for example, breaks down cellulose and other components in the cow’s diet to aid in the animal’s digestion.
Any one of a group of spiral shaped bacteria that lack a rigid cell wall and move by means of muscular flexions of the cell. The group includes the species Borrelia, Leptospira, and Treponema.
Spirochetae, a diverse group of bacteria characterized by their spiral or coil-shaped morphology, encompasses various species within its family.
A bacterium characterized by its thin, spiral-shaped filaments and belonging to the Spirochaeta genus. It’s a broad term encompassing any bacterium within the Spirochaetales order, including the species responsible for syphilis.