Blogging about those twisty bacteria known as spirochetes

I remember reading about the first Italian epidemic of syphilis and it was reportedly much more virulent than modern syphilis with faster progression to disfigurement and death. If so that suggests that it was a "new" disease because we know that diseases often start off very virulent and then evolve to be less so (meaning they get more time to spread).ReplyDelete

Yes. Using the same criteria Harper's group found three studies describing pre-1492 New World bone specimens that showed definite signs of treponemal disease. After adjusting for the marine reservoir effect the specimens were dated to 719 BC-235 AD 409 BC-380 AD and 2865 BC-2298 BCDelete

Lyme disease is a tick-borne disease caused by several members of the Borrelia burgdorferi complex. B. burgdorferi B. garinii and B. afzelii account for most cases worldwide. A rash may appear at the site of the tick bite and the patient may experience flu-like symptoms. Left untreated the patient may suffer from neurologic arthritic and cardiac complications.

The syphilis agent Treponema pallidum is most commonly acquired by sexual contact. A skin lesion called a chancre appears at the site of initial contact with the spirochete. T. pallidum later spreads to other sites in the body to cause the flu-like symptoms and rash of secondary syphilis. Once secondary syphilis resolves the spirochete may persist for years without causing problems. Later tertiary syphilis can result in damage to vital tissues. Neurosyphilis and cardiovascular syphilis are two common forms of tertiary syphilis.

Leptospira lives in the kidneys of rodents and other reservoir hosts and is shed via urine into the environment. Humans acquire the spirochete by contact of abraded skin or mucous membranes with infectious urine or contaminated water or soil. Leptospirosis patients may initially experience flu-like symptoms. Jaundice and impaired kidney function occur in the potentially deadly form of leptospirosis called Weil's disease.