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Ch. 21 - Rickettsias, Chlamydias, Spirochetes, and Vibrios
Bauman - Microbiology with Diseases by Taxonomy 6th Edition
Bauman6th EditionMicrobiology with Diseases by TaxonomyISBN: 9780134832302Not the one you use?Change textbook
Chapter 21, Problem 8

Which of the following organisms is transmitted via sexual contact?
a. Treponema pallidum endemicum
b. Treponema pallidum pertenue
c. Treponema pallidum pallidum
d. Treponema carateum

Verified step by step guidance
1
Step 1: Understand the genus Treponema, which includes several subspecies causing different diseases, often differentiated by their mode of transmission and clinical presentation.
Step 2: Identify the diseases caused by each subspecies: Treponema pallidum pallidum causes syphilis, Treponema pallidum endemicum causes endemic syphilis (bejel), Treponema pallidum pertenue causes yaws, and Treponema carateum causes pinta.
Step 3: Recall the primary mode of transmission for each disease: syphilis (caused by T. pallidum pallidum) is transmitted mainly through sexual contact, while the others are transmitted via non-sexual routes such as skin-to-skin contact in endemic areas.
Step 4: Match the organism to the mode of transmission asked in the question, focusing on sexual transmission.
Step 5: Conclude that the organism transmitted via sexual contact is Treponema pallidum pallidum.

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Key Concepts

Here are the essential concepts you must grasp in order to answer the question correctly.

Treponema pallidum subspecies

Treponema pallidum is a bacterium with several subspecies causing different diseases. Each subspecies has distinct modes of transmission and clinical manifestations, such as pallidum causing syphilis, pertenue causing yaws, endemicum causing endemic syphilis, and carateum causing pinta.

Modes of Transmission of Treponemal Diseases

Treponemal infections vary in transmission routes; syphilis (T. pallidum pallidum) is primarily transmitted through sexual contact, while other subspecies like pertenue and endemicum spread via non-sexual close contact or skin-to-skin contact, often in endemic areas.
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Clinical Significance of Syphilis

Syphilis, caused by Treponema pallidum pallidum, is a sexually transmitted infection with systemic effects if untreated. Understanding its transmission is crucial for diagnosis, prevention, and treatment, distinguishing it from other treponemal diseases with different epidemiology.
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