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  • Type culture

    A culture of a given microbiological species (normally provided by the original discoverer) which faithfully reproduces all aspects and reactions recorded under the title, and is held in a (usually national) collection of type cultures. To avoid variation in storage such cultures are usually preserved by freeze-drying. A culture of standard strains of bacteria that…

  • Turbidity test

    Statutory test (UK) applicable to sterilized milk. Proteins in 20 ml of milk are precipitated with ammonium sulphate and filtered out, and the filtrate boiled for 5 minutes. In duly sterilized milk no protein uncoagulable by the sulphate remains and the filtrate re¬ mains clear after boiling.  

  • Trisodium phosphate method

    Culture-concentration method for the treatment of sputum etc. prior to microscopy and culture for mycobacteria. Ten per cent anhydrous Na3P04 is applied for 24 hours at 37° C, followed by centrifugation and washing. The method is possibly less toxic than that of Petroff.  

  • Tributyrin agar

    Glyceryl tributyrate in yeast extract agar—a medium cleared by the lipolytic bacteria associated with butter spoilage.  

  • Treponema pertenue

    Pathogenic treponema indistinguishable from Treponema pallidum, but causing yaws—a non-venereal granulomatous condition with none of the complications of advanced syphilis— which occurs in tropical zones. Diagnosis and treatment are as for Treponema pallidum.  

  • Treponema microdentium

    Dental spirochaete, shorter and with shallower coils than Treponema pallidum, and more easily stained.  

  • Treponema macrodentium

    Dental spirochaete, larger and more actively motile than Treponema pallidum.  

  • Treponema cuniculi

    Rabbit-infecting treponema, morphologically indistinguishable from Treponema pallidum, and a hazard when using rabbits for propagation of the latter.  

  • Treponema carateum

    Pathogenic non-venereal treponeme morphologically as Treponema pallidum but immunologically distinct. Causes pinta, a disease with many of the aspects of syphilis, and which is diagnosed and treated by the same methods as the venereal disease. The causative agent of pinta, an infectious disease of the skin.  

  • Treponema calligyrum

    Benign treponema found in normal genital secretions. The spirals are broader than with Treponema pallidum, and the body thicker and more glistening.  

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