Editing Syphilis (section)

===Bacteriology===
{{Main|Treponema pallidum{{!}}''Treponema pallidum''}}
[[File:Treponema pallidum 01.png|thumb|upright=1.4|[[Histopathology]] of ''Treponema pallidum'' bacteria using a modified [[Silver stain|Steiner silver stain]], 1986|alt=]]

''Treponema pallidum'' subspecies ''pallidum'' is a spiral-shaped, [[Gram-negative]], highly mobile bacterium.<ref name=Music08/><ref name=Pri2008/> Two other human diseases are caused by related ''Treponema pallidum'' subspecies, [[yaws]] (subspecies ''pertenue'')  and [[nonvenereal endemic syphilis|bejel]] (subspecies ''endemicum''), and one further caused by the very closely related  ''Treponema carateum'', [[Pinta (disease)|pinta]].<ref name=Kent08/><ref>{{cite journal |vauthors=Giacani L, Lukehart SA |title=The endemic treponematoses |journal=Clinical Microbiology Reviews |volume=27 |issue=1 |pages=89–115 |date=January 2014 |pmid=24396138 |pmc=3910905 |doi=10.1128/CMR.00070-13}}</ref> Unlike subspecies ''pallidum'', they do not cause neurological disease.<ref name=Wood09/> Humans are the only known [[natural reservoir]] for subspecies ''pallidum''.<ref name=ST10>{{Cite journal |last1=Stamm |first1=LV |title=Global challenge of antibiotic-resistant ''Treponema pallidum'' |journal=Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy|date=February 2010|volume=54|issue=2|pages=583–89|pmid=19805553|doi=10.1128/aac.01095-09|pmc=2812177}}</ref> It is unable to survive more than a few days without a [[Host (biology)|host]].<ref name=Pri2008/> This is due to its small genome (1.14[[base pair|Mbp]]) failing to encode the metabolic pathways necessary to make most of its macronutrients.<ref name=Pri2008/> It has a slow [[doubling time]] of greater than 30&nbsp;hours.<ref name=Pri2008/> The bacterium is known for its ability to evade the immune system and its invasiveness.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Peeling |first1=RW |last2=Mabey |first2=D |last3=Kamb |first3=ML |last4=Chen |first4=XS |last5=Radolf |first5=JD |last6=Benzaken |first6=AS |title=Syphilis. |journal=Nature Reviews. Disease Primers |date=12 October 2017 |volume=3 |pages=17073 |doi=10.1038/nrdp.2017.73 |pmid=29022569 |pmc=5809176 }}</ref>