Essay On Treponema Pallidum

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Treponema pallidum 2
Introduction
Treponema pallidum is a Gram-negative bacterium that has a spiral shape (1). They are about 6 to 20um in length and 18-20um in diameter (1). Treponema pallidum can only survive within a host which makes them obligate internal parasites, meaning that outside a host this organism will die due to the absence of nutrients, exposure to oxygen and heat. Also since this organism can’t be grown on a culture medium, animal models are used to study T. pallidum (1). Treponema pallidum bacteria consist of an inner and outer membrane with a thin peptidoglycan cell wall lacking liposaccharides (1). They have a distinctive corkscrew motility with the aid of 6 endoflagellas (2). The specific classifications of Treponema pallidum are the following: Scientific name- Treponema pallidum, Common name- Syphilis. Treponema causes syphilis, yaws, and spinta. Borrelia causes Lyme disease and relapsing fever and Leptospira causing leptospirosis (5). What makes this microorganism special to the human population is that it causes infection to its host by entering the body through microscopic skin or mucous abrasions via direct personal contact with the lesions (sexual or kissing), blood transfusions, accidental bacterial inoculation, and transplacental passage (2). According to the CDC website there are 55,400 people diagnosed with Syphilis every year and 322 reported cases of congenital Syphilis in 2012 (6).

Treponema pallidum 3
Mechanism of Pathogenesis
Treponema pallidum is transmitted sexually through oral, anal, vaginal intercourse and from mom to baby during pregnancy or during birth (1). The human host is the only natural known for Treponema pallidum but testing can be done on rabbits for p...

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...ell wall synthesis (8). Individuals who are allergic to Penicillin can be treated with alternative oral antibiotics such as Tetracycline or Doxycycline (3). These antibiotics work by inhibiting protein synthesis (8). During the course of treatment the individual should abstain from sexual contact with their partner until there are no sign and symptoms of the disease or confirmation of a negative blood work. Also individuals should be annually tested and receive necessary treatment if needed to reduce the risk of infecting others (6). Syphilis can be prevented in many ways. First and foremost is by being in a mutually monogamous relationship, the correct use of latex condoms if you are not in a monogamous relationship, also by providing education about the damages the disease can cause and how it can be prevented by not spreading the disease with one another (6).

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