Treponematosis is a term used to individually describe any of the diseases caused by four members of the bacterial genus ''
Treponema''. The four diseases are collectively referred to as treponematoses:
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Syphilis (''Treponema pallidum pallidum'')
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Yaws
Yaws is a tropical infection of the skin, bones, and joints caused by the spirochete bacterium ''Treponema pallidum pertenue''. The disease begins with a round, hard swelling of the skin, in diameter. The center may break open and form an ulce ...
(''Treponema pallidum pertenue'')
*
Bejel
Bejel, or endemic syphilis, is a chronic skin and tissue disease caused by infection by the ''endemicum'' subspecies of the spirochete ''Treponema pallidum''. Bejel is one of the "endemic treponematoses" (endemic infections caused by spiral-shaped ...
(''Treponema pallidum endemicum'')
*
Pinta (''Treponema carateum'')
Traditional laboratory tests cannot distinguish the treponematoses.
However, sequence differences among the ''T. pallidum'' subspecies have been identified. Molecular approaches involving
PCR to identify these sequences are being developed.
References
External links
Spirochaetes
Bacterium-related cutaneous conditions
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