What do Spirochaetes look like?

What do Spirochaetes look like?

Spirochetes are long and slender bacteria, usually only a fraction of a micron in diameter but 5 to 250 microns long. They are tightly coiled, and so look like miniature springs or telephone cords.

How do you get Spirochaetes?

Spirochetes of the genus Leptospira. These are typically acquired from animal contact, or water or soil contaminated by the urine of dogs, rats, or livestock in the course of recreation or work. Animals may remain asymptomatic shedders for years, and the organisms can remain viable after shedding for weeks to months.

Are Spirochaetes harmful?

spirochete, (order Spirochaetales), also spelled spirochaete, any of a group of spiral-shaped bacteria, some of which are serious pathogens for humans, causing diseases such as syphilis, yaws, Lyme disease, and relapsing fever.

What antibiotics treat spirochetes?

Penicillin G benzathine, azithromycin, erythromycin, doxycycline and tetracycline. Benzathine penicillin is the drug of choice. Late stage and early stages, as well as contacts of patients are treated with the same regimen.

How do I know if I have spirochetes?

Diagnosis is by culture and serologic testing. Treatment is with antibiotics such as doxycycline or penicillin. Spirochetes are distinguished by the helical shape of the bacteria. Pathogenic spirochetes include Treponema, Leptospira, and Borrelia.

How do you treat spirochetes?

Treatment is with antibiotics such as doxycycline or penicillin. Spirochetes are distinguished by the helical shape of the bacteria….In severe illness, one of the following is recommended:

  1. Penicillin G 5 to 6 million units IV every 6 hours.
  2. Ampicillin 500 to 1000 mg IV every 6 hours.
  3. Ceftriaxone 1 g IV every 24 hours.

What do Morgellons fibers look like?

What are the symptoms of Morgellons disease? The primary symptoms of MD are multicolored fibers appearing under the skin or emerging from sores that are slow to heal. Because the fibers can be red, green, blue, white, or black, they may look like microscopic fibers from clothing.

What are the characteristics of Spirochaetes?

Spirochaetes bacteria are diverse in their pathogenic capacity and the ecological niches that they inhabit, as well as molecular characteristics including guanine-cytosine content and genome size. Many organisms within the Spirochaetes phylum cause prevalent diseases. Pathogenic members of this phylum include the following:

How do spirochaetes move?

These cause a twisting motion which allows the spirochaete to move about. When reproducing, a spirochaete will undergo asexual transverse binary fission. Most spirochaetes are free-living and anaerobic, but there are numerous exceptions.

What is the phylum Spirochaetes known for?

Many organisms within the Spirochaetes phylum cause prevalent diseases. Pathogenic members of this phylum include the following: Borrelia burgdorferi, B. mayonii, B. bissettiae, B. garinii, B. afzelii, B. spielmanii, B. lusitaniae, which cause Lyme disease. Treponema pallidum subspecies which cause treponematoses such as syphilis and yaws.

Where can I find information about spirochetes?

Look at William A. Ellis’ work on leptospirosis, a livestock disease caused by spirochetes, or for info on Lyme disease try the Lyme Disease Guideline at Thomas Jefferson University, or the Lyme Disease Network homepage. Visit the Microbe Zoo for pictures and information about spirochetes and other bacteria which live in the cow rumen.