The order Spirochaetales contains bacteria with unique morphological and functional features. Spirochaetes have spiral or helical shape, with distinct motility due to the structure and placement of their flagella. Their unusual cellular ultrastructure, motility, metabolic pathways, immune evasion strategies, and gene regulation has evoked the maxim: “Spirochetes do it differently.” Pathogenic spirochetes are the causative agents of Lyme disease, leptospirosis, syphilis, relapsing fever, periodontal disease, digital dermatitis, and intestinal spirochetosis. These diseases pose immense, and growing, global threats to human and, in some cases, animal health. Some zoonotic spirochetal diseases also represent an economic burden on livestock producers.
This Research Topic will focus on the three following spirochetal infections: Syphilis (caused by Treponema pallidum), Lyme disease (caused by Borrelia burgdorferi, B. mayonii, B. afzelii, and B. garinii) and Leptospirosis (caused by pathogenic Leptospira species). This collection will publish original research papers and reviews related to the topics listed below:
1. Pathogenesis and escape mechanisms within various spirochete species.
2. Host-pathogen interactions and immune evasion mechanisms.
3. Prevention strategies.
4. Novel treatment strategies against the infection.
5. Transmission strategies of spirochetes within their natural environments.
The order Spirochaetales contains bacteria with unique morphological and functional features. Spirochaetes have spiral or helical shape, with distinct motility due to the structure and placement of their flagella. Their unusual cellular ultrastructure, motility, metabolic pathways, immune evasion strategies, and gene regulation has evoked the maxim: “Spirochetes do it differently.” Pathogenic spirochetes are the causative agents of Lyme disease, leptospirosis, syphilis, relapsing fever, periodontal disease, digital dermatitis, and intestinal spirochetosis. These diseases pose immense, and growing, global threats to human and, in some cases, animal health. Some zoonotic spirochetal diseases also represent an economic burden on livestock producers.
This Research Topic will focus on the three following spirochetal infections: Syphilis (caused by Treponema pallidum), Lyme disease (caused by Borrelia burgdorferi, B. mayonii, B. afzelii, and B. garinii) and Leptospirosis (caused by pathogenic Leptospira species). This collection will publish original research papers and reviews related to the topics listed below:
1. Pathogenesis and escape mechanisms within various spirochete species.
2. Host-pathogen interactions and immune evasion mechanisms.
3. Prevention strategies.
4. Novel treatment strategies against the infection.
5. Transmission strategies of spirochetes within their natural environments.
