Systemic Spirochetes

Question 1

What are spirochetes and what are there three major genera?

Answer 1

Spiral shaped organisms with corkscrew motility that grow slowly in vitro and do not gram stain.
Treponema, Borrelia, and Leptospira

Question 2

What do you know about Treponema spirochetes?

Answer 2

All agents produce the same serological response in humans

Susceptible to penicillin

Question 3

What do you know about Borrelia spirochetes?

Answer 3

Borrelia burgdorferi causes Lyme disease, B. Recurrentis causes louse born recurring endemic fever
B. hermsii causes tick born endemic relapsing fever

Question 4

What do you know about Lyme disease?

Answer 4

Tick born (Ixodes)
Transmitted in nymph stage
Regional incidence

Question 5

What are the three clinical stages of Lyme disease?

Answer 5

Stage 1 is localized infection causing erythema migrans
Stage 2 is disseminated infection causing carditis, secondary erythema migrans, meningitis, bells palsy, and arthritis.
Stage 3 is persistent infection causing arthritis and lyme encephalopathy.

Question 6

What is the definitive test for lyme disease?

Answer 6

Two-tiered testing with ELIZA and Western Blot.

Lab testing will be negative if conducted early in the infection

Question 7

What is STARI

Answer 7

Southern Tick Associated Rash Illness: a lyme disease like illness spread by the lone star tick

Question 8

What do you know about leptospirosis?

Answer 8

Worldwide distro
Transmitted by exposure to infected animal urine
Acute febrile illness accompanied by conjunctival suffusion
Jaundice and renal failure with or without meningitis.
Common in vets, adventure racers, and military personnel