Spirochaeta
Also found in: Dictionary, Thesaurus, Wikipedia.
Related to Spirochaeta: Spirochaeta pallida
Spirochaeta
(spī'rō-kē'tă),A genus of motile bacteria (order Spirochaetales) containing presumably gram-negative, flexible, undulating, spiral-shaped rods that may or may not possess flagelliform, tapering ends. The protoplast is spirally wound around an axial filament. No obvious periplast membrane or cross-striations occur. These organisms are motile by means of a creeping motion over the surfaces of supporting objects. They are not parasitic but are found free living in fresh or sea water slime; they are commonly found in sewage and foul water. At present the genus contains five species. The type species is Spirochaeta plicatilis.
[Mod. L. fr. G. speira, a coil, + chaitē, hair]
Farlex Partner Medical Dictionary © Farlex 2012
Spirochaeta
(spī″rō-kē′tă) [Gr. speira, coil, + chaite, hair]A genus of slender, spiral, motile bacteria of the family Spirochaetaceae. The species are saprophytes in water and soil.
Spirochaeta icterohaemorrhagiae
An obsolete name for Leptospira interrogans, the bacterium that causes leptospirosis.
Spirochaeta pallida
An obsolete name for Treponema pallidum, the bacteria that causes syphilis.
Medical Dictionary, © 2009 Farlex and Partners