Isolation of Serpulina pilosicoli from rectal biopsy specimens showing evidence of intestinal spirochetosis

Trivett-Moore, N.L., Gilbert, G.L., Law, C.L.H., Trott, D.J. and Hampson, D.J. (1998) Isolation of Serpulina pilosicoli from rectal biopsy specimens showing evidence of intestinal spirochetosis. Journal of Clinical Microbiology, 36 (1). pp. 261-265.

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Abstract

Histologic evidence of intestinal spirochetosis (IS) was found in 22 of 41 (53.7%) rectal biopsy specimens from homosexual men attending a sexually transmitted diseases clinic. Serpulina pilosicoli was cultured from 11 of the IS-positive biopsy specimens (50%) and from 2 specimens (10.5%) in which spirochetes were not observed. The association between seeing spirochetes in biopsy specimens and isolating S. pilosicoli was statistically significant, clearly indicating that this spirochete is the agent of IS.