• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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• v.44 no.3
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• pp.421-426
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• 2004

This study was performed to report the outbreaks of canine intestinal spirochetosis and to characterize the canine isolates. Three canine isolates were weakly beta-hemolytic and had sharp end shape with 5 flagella. Isolates didn't produce indole but fermented fructose. In $API-ZYM^{(R)}$ study, isolates were alpha-glucosidase negative and alpha-galactosidase positive, which is the typical characteristics of B. pilosicoli. In multilocus enzyme electrophoresis(MEE) study, isolates were divided into 2 electrophoretic types. Isolates showed different properties with B. hyodysenteriae but closely related with pathogenic canine intestinal spirochete(B. pilosicoli). This is the first report of the isolation and characterization of canine intestinal spirochete in Korean dogs.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Service
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• v.24 no.4
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• pp.335-341
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• 2001

Swine dysentery caused by Brachyspira hyodysenteriae, an anaerobic, beta-hemolytic spirochete, is a severe mucohemorrhahic diarrheal disease that primarily affects pigs during the growing and finishing period. The current standard laboratory procedure to culture and identify B hyodysenteriae takes 3 to 7 days. This report present a rapid PCR for detection B hyodysenteriae in a single reaction using DNA from swine intestinal samples. The PCR produced a specific 421bp PCR product with template DNA purified from B hyodysenteriae, and the accuracy for detection of B hyodysenteriae by PCR results compared with those of conventional method was 100% in intestinal specimens. Nonspecific bands were not detected with B innocens, a nonpathogenic common inhabitant spirochete, including other enteric bacterial organisms. This procedure could detect as little as 50 pg of template DNA for B hyodysenteriae.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.28 no.5
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• pp.627-637
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• 2018

Motility and chemotaxis are crucial for disease development in many motile pathogens, including spirochetes. In many bacteria, motility is provided by flagella rotation, which is controlled by a chemotaxis-signal-transduction system. Thus, motility and chemotaxis are inextricably linked. Spirochetes are a unique group of bacteria with distinctive flat-wave morphology and corkscrew-like locomotion. This unusual motility pattern is believed to be important for efficient motility within the dense tissues through which these spirochetes preferentially disseminate in a host. Unlike other externally flagellated bacteria-where flagella are in the ambient environment-the flagella of spirochetes are enclosed by the outer membrane and thus are called periplasmic flagella or endoflagella. Although motilityand chemotaxis-associated genes are well studied in some bacteria, the knowledge of how the spirochete achieves complex swimming and the roles of most of the putative spirochetal chemotaxis proteins are still elusive. Recently, cutting-edge imaging methods and unique genetic manipulations in spirochetes have helped to unravel the mystery of motility and chemotaxis in spirochetes. These contemporary advances in understanding the motility and chemotaxis of spirochetes in a host's persistence and disease process are highlighted in this review.

• Investigative Magnetic Resonance Imaging
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• v.18 no.3
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• pp.263-268
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• 2014

Neurosyphilis is a rare infection of the brain and spinal cord caused by a spirochete named Treponema pallidum. We describe the magnetic resonance imaging of a 53-year-old man with syphilis who manifested as both meningovascular, and spinal meningomyelitic types, which involved the optic, trigeminal, facial and vestibulocochlear nerves, both middle and left posterior cerebral arteries, thoracic spinal cord and meninges of the lumbar spine. This case report suggests that neurosyphilis should be considered as a possible diagnosis in patients showing complex brain and spinal imaging features. These features include enhancing meningeal lesions with multiple cranial nerve involvement, stenoses in large to medium size cerebral arteries, and intramedullary and meningeal lesions of spine.

• Restorative Dentistry and Endodontics
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• v.27 no.5
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• pp.473-478
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• 2002

근관내 spirochetes의 존재유무가 명확하게 밝혀져 있지 않았으나 최근 PCR을 사용한 연구에서 Treponema denticola균주가 감염근관의 50% 이상의 경우에서 발견됨에 따라 이 세균이 치수 및 치근단 질환에 관여하는지에 대한 관심 이 높아졌다. 하지만 그 정확한 기전은 아직 밝혀져 있지 않다. 이와 관련하여 Shenker등이 T. denticola의 sonicated extract에서 순수분리된 단백질 (SIP)이 임파구 proliferation을 방해함을 보고한바 있다. 따라서 본 연구의 목적은 면역억제단백질 SIP이 어떤 기전에 의해서 임파구증식을 억제하는지를 밝히는 데 있다. 건강한 혈액 공여자로부터 추출해낸 T세포에 PHA (phytohemagglutinin)로 증식자극을 주게되는데 이 과정에서 SIP을 처리하거나 처리하지 않은 경우를 비교하여 세포주기 진행과정을 유세포분석기 (Becton-Dickinson FACS$^{tarplus}$) 를 통하여 평가하였다. 실험결과 세단계의 chromatography과정을 통해 순수정제된 SIP은 50kDa와 56kDa의 두가지 polypeptide로 구성되어 있고 0.25$\mu\textrm{g}$으로 처리된 T 임파구는 42.5%의 [$^3$H]thymidine incorporation 억제가 그리고, 0.5$\mu\textrm{g}$으로 처리한 경우는 75.1%의 억제가 일어나 dose-dependent한 양상이 나타났다. Propidium iodide와 유세포 분석기를 사용하여 세포주기를 분석한 결과 medium으로만 처리한 경우 97%이상의 임파구는 G$_0$/G$_1$ phase에 머물러 있었으나 PHA자극을 받은 경우 G$_0$/G$_1$ phase에서 58%, S phase에서 34.6%, G$_2$/M phase에서 7.4%로 분포되어 나타났다. SIP으로 전처리한 경우 세포 증식이 감소하여 0.25$\mu\textrm{g}$을 첨가한 경우 75.1%가 G$_0$/G$_1$ phase에 머물러 있었고 더 강한 농도의 0.5$\mu\textrm{g}$을 첨가한 경우는 87.7%가 G$_0$/G$_1$ phase에서 S phase로 진행되지 않고 머물러있었다. 따라서 SIP으로 전처리된 T 임파구는 그 증식이 G$_0$/G$_1$ phase에서 차단된 것으로 보인다. 이러한 면역억제현상이 in vitro 상태뿐 아니라 in vivo에서도 진행된다면 spirochete가 치수 및 치근단 질환의 병인론에 연관된 면역반응저하기전에 중요한 역할을 하는 것으로 추론할 수 있다.

• International Journal of Oral Biology
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.31-37
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• 2005

Treponema maltophilum, a Group IV oral spirochete, is associated with periodontitis and endodontic infections. In this study we analyzed the functional role of the major surface protein of this organism (MspA) in human gingival fibroblasts (HGFs). The full-length gene encoding MspA was cloned and expressed in Escherichia coli by using the expression vector pQE-30. The recombinant protein (rMspA) was purified by affinity chromatography with nickel-nitrilotriacetic acid agarose and possible contamination of E. coli endotoxin in rMspA was removed by using polymyxin B-agarose. rMspA significantly induced the expression of pro inflammatory cytokines like IL-6 and IL-8 and intercellular adhesion molecule (ICAM)-1 in HGFs, when analyzed by reverse transcription-PCR, flow cytometry, and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Our results indicate that MspA of T. maltophilum may play an important role in amplifying the local immune response by upregulating the expression of proinflammatory cytokines and ICAM-1.

• International Journal of Oral Biology
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• v.33 no.2
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• pp.45-50
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• 2008

Treponema denticola is the best studied oral spirochete and numerous studies have shown that it is strongly associated with periodontitis and expresses several putative virulence factors. In this study, we report on a surface protein of T. denticola, Td92, which is homologous to Tp92 of Treponema pallidum, an agent of syphilis. Immunofluorescence assay and immunogold labeling with anti-Td92 Ab revealed that Td92 had surface-exposed epitopes. And Td92 was capable of binding to fibronectin and KB cells, an oral epithelial cell line. In addition, Td92 could enter the KB cells. These results indicate that Td92 is a fibronectin-binding protein which can bind to and internalize into the host cells, facilitating the virulence of T. denticola.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Pathology
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• v.3 no.1
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• pp.65-68
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• 1999

Clinically, three holstein dairy cattle showed the inappetence and decrease of milk production with severe lameness and pain. Grossly, strawberry-like proliferation of the skin between the heel bulbs were observed 4${\times}$5${\times}$1.5cm in size. Histopathologically, severe hyperplasia of epidermis, parakeratotic hyperkeratosis and multifocal ulceration of cornified cell layer, acanthosis, spongiosis of prickle cell layer and irregular arrangement of basal cell layer were seen. And focally observed the lesions of necrotic vasculitis, infiltration of inflammatory cells, congestion and hemorrhage. Spirochete bacteria were found in necrotic and outer proliferated epidermal cells by Levaditi's silver stain. Clinical and pathological findings were consistent with dermatitis verrucosa.

• Pediatric Infection and Vaccine
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• v.5 no.1
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• pp.143-146
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• 1998

Syphilis is a systemic communicable disease caused by the motile spirochete, Treponema pallidum, which is only a natural pathogen for human. The distribution and trends of syphilis are influenced by biologic factors, sexual behaviors, biomedical technology, availability of and access to health care, public health efforts, changes in population dynamics, and sociocultural factors. Although sexual contact is the main route of transmission, Treponema pallidum may also be infected through direct contact with syphilitic lesions, blood transfusion, ingestion of menstrual blood or vaginal secretions, or transplacental transmissions. In extremely unusual circumstances, infection by means of contact with a skin lesion and human bite have been reported. We experienced a case of syphilis which is thought to be infected by the abnormal imposition of hands on a child, which caused unnecessary erosive trauma with fingernails.

• Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology & Nutrition
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.193-200
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• 2019

A clinical suspicion of intestinal spirochetosis is required when patients have long lasting complaints of abdominal pain, diarrhea, rectal bleeding, weight loss, and nausea. An endoscopy with biopsies needs to be performed to confirm the diagnosis of intestinal spirochetosis. The diagnosis of intestinal spirochetosis is based on histological appearance. Intestinal spirochetosis can also be associated with other intestinal infections and juvenile polyps (JPs). JPs seem to be more frequent in patients with intestinal spirochetosis than in patients without intestinal spirochetosis. Intestinal spirochetosis in children should be treated with antibiotics. Metronidazole is the preferred option. In this article, we describe 4 cases of intestinal spirochetosis in a pediatric population and provide a review of the literature over the last 20 years. Intestinal spirochetosis is a rare infection that can cause a variety of severe symptom. It is diagnosed based on histological appearance.