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Full-Text Articles in Medicine and Health Sciences
Vaccines And The Looming Threat Of Syphilis, Charles T. Ambrose
Vaccines And The Looming Threat Of Syphilis, Charles T. Ambrose
Microbiology, Immunology, and Molecular Genetics Faculty Publications
During the past several decades, syphilis has increased in the US and explosively so in China and Russia.While most current cases can be cured by penicillin or second line antibiotics, strains of the syphilis spirochete (Treponema pallidum) resistant to the latter have emerged.And the potential of strains to acquire resistance to penicillin via plasmids has recently been recognized.The 36 million-plus undertreated cases of syphilis in the world represent metaphorically a vast global 37°C incubator allowing exchange of antibiotic resistant genes among the human-borne bacteria and theoretically permitting the emergence of penicillin resistant strains.None has yet been identified but …
Pre-Antibiotic Therapy Of Syphilis, Charles T. Ambrose
Pre-Antibiotic Therapy Of Syphilis, Charles T. Ambrose
Microbiology, Immunology, and Molecular Genetics Faculty Publications
The explosive increase in syphilis throughout China and Russia during the past several decades represents a global public health threat for several reasons. 1) Most cases are undertreated and thus collectively offer optimal conditions for the emergence of resistant strains of the syphilis spirochete, Treponema pallidum. No penicillin-resistant strains have been recognized to date, but strains resistant to the second line antibiotic agents are now common. 2) The recent discovery of plasmids in T. pallidumraises the likelihood of plasmid transfer from other bacteria of various resistance genes, especially those directed toward penicillin-type antibiotics, currently the drugs of choice for …