Treponema pallidum is the causative agent for syphilis.

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Treponema pallidum is the causative agent for syphilis.

Identifying the causative agent of syphilis. Syphilis is caused by Treponema pallidum, a slender spirochete with a distinctive corkscrew shape that is transmitted sexually. It’s traditionally detected in lesions by dark-field microscopy and diagnosed with serologic tests since it’s hard to culture with standard methods. The other organisms point to different diseases: Borrelia burgdorferi causes Lyme disease; Neisseria meningitidis causes meningococcal meningitis and septicemia; Vibrio vulnificus leads to severe wound infections and septicemia, especially from seawater or contaminated seafood. So Treponema pallidum is the correct causative agent for syphilis.

Identifying the causative agent of syphilis. Syphilis is caused by Treponema pallidum, a slender spirochete with a distinctive corkscrew shape that is transmitted sexually. It’s traditionally detected in lesions by dark-field microscopy and diagnosed with serologic tests since it’s hard to culture with standard methods. The other organisms point to different diseases: Borrelia burgdorferi causes Lyme disease; Neisseria meningitidis causes meningococcal meningitis and septicemia; Vibrio vulnificus leads to severe wound infections and septicemia, especially from seawater or contaminated seafood. So Treponema pallidum is the correct causative agent for syphilis.

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