Treponema

Question 1

Can treponemes be seen using standard microscopy?

Answer 1

No

Question 2

Can treponemes be visualized using gram staining?

Answer 2

No

Question 3

What type of microscopy is used to visualize treponemes?

Answer 3

Darkfield Microscopy

Question 4

Can treponemes be cultured?

Answer 4

No

Question 5

After penetrating mucous membranes and abrasions, how soon do treponemes invade blood vessels and lymphatics?

Answer 5

Immediately

Question 6

What is the primary virulence factor used by treponemes?

Answer 6

Immune Evasion

Question 7

Do treponemes cause high or low inflammation?

Answer 7

Low inflammation

Question 8

Through what methods is T. pallidum transmitted?

Answer 8

Sexually and congenitally

Question 9

How are yaws and pinta transmitted?

Answer 9

Through direct contact

Question 10

Immune reaction by body against treponemes

Answer 10

Produces mostly useless antibodies (regain)

Question 11

How many disease stages does syphilis have?

Answer 11

4

Question 12

Describe the disease progression of syphilis through its stages

Answer 12

1) Primary chancre
2) Secondary body wide rashes, condylomata lata, patchy alopecia
3) Latent period
4) Tertiary gummas, neurosyphilis, cardiac involvement

Question 13

How can neurosyphilis present?

Answer 13

Meningitis, Tabes dorsalis, or general paresis

Question 14

What test is done to check for neurosyphilis?

Answer 14

Check for Argyll-Robertson pupil

Question 15

What percentage of fetus/newborns does congenital syphilis kill?

Answer 15

50%

Question 16

Babies infected with syphilis present with what?

Answer 16

Bone deformities and interstitial keratitis

Question 17

Do babies infected with syphilis progress to secondary and tertiary stages?

Answer 17

If untreated, yes- they progress rapidly

Question 18

What does diagnosis syphilis depend on?

Answer 18

Assembling an accurate timecourse of the many varied symptoms

Question 19

Do patients tend to ignore early symptoms of syphilis that spontaneously resolve?

Answer 19

Yes, they do

Question 20

What is the best lab test to for syphilis to determine if the disease is in progress?

Answer 20

Serology for reagin (VDRL, RPR)

Question 21

How do you confirm that someone has syphilis?

Answer 21

Test for treponeme-specific antibodies

Question 22

How do you treat treponema?

Answer 22

Penicillin G