Intestinal spirochetosis
Encyclopedia
Intestinal spirochetosis, also intestinal spirochetes, colonic spirochetosis and colonic spirochetes, is an infection of the colonic
-type mucosa with spirochete microorganism
s.
and abdominal pain
, which may be seen with blood
; these findings are non-specific, i.e. may be seen due to number of other causes.
and Brachyspira aalborgi.
Colon (anatomy)
The colon is the last part of the digestive system in most vertebrates; it extracts water and salt from solid wastes before they are eliminated from the body, and is the site in which flora-aided fermentation of unabsorbed material occurs. Unlike the small intestine, the colon does not play a...
-type mucosa with spirochete microorganism
Microorganism
A microorganism or microbe is a microscopic organism that comprises either a single cell , cell clusters, or no cell at all...
s.
Symptoms
The symptoms typically include watery diarrheaDiarrhea
Diarrhea , also spelled diarrhoea, is the condition of having three or more loose or liquid bowel movements per day. It is a common cause of death in developing countries and the second most common cause of infant deaths worldwide. The loss of fluids through diarrhea can cause dehydration and...
and abdominal pain
Abdominal pain
Abdominal pain can be one of the symptoms associated with transient disorders or serious disease. Making a definitive diagnosis of the cause of abdominal pain can be difficult, because many diseases can result in this symptom. Abdominal pain is a common problem...
, which may be seen with blood
Blood
Blood is a specialized bodily fluid in animals that delivers necessary substances such as nutrients and oxygen to the cells and transports metabolic waste products away from those same cells....
; these findings are non-specific, i.e. may be seen due to number of other causes.
Etiology
Intestinal spirochetosis is caused by Brachyspira pilosicoliBrachyspira pilosicoli
Brachyspira pilosicoli is a gram-negative spiral-shaped obligate anaerobe bacterium. It is a member of the Spirochaetes family. The bacterium is loosely coiled and is 6-11µm long. It has several flagellae, inserted at either pole of the cell, and a lipopolysaccharide cell wall. It causes intestinal...
and Brachyspira aalborgi.