PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - D S Tompkins
AU  - S J Foulkes
AU  - P G Godwin
AU  - A P West
TI  - Isolation and characterisation of intestinal spirochaetes.
AID  - 10.1136/jcp.39.5.535
DP  - 1986 May 01
TA  - Journal of Clinical Pathology
PG  - 535--541
VI  - 39
IP  - 5
4099  - http://jcp.bmj.com/content/39/5/535.short
4100  - http://jcp.bmj.com/content/39/5/535.full
SO  - J Clin Pathol1986 May 01; 39
AB  - Faeces or rectal swabs from 1527 subjects were examined for the presence of intestinal spirochaetes by anaerobic culture on blood agar incorporating spectinomycin (400 mg/l). Twenty three specimens (1.5%) were positive, and only one of these came from a patient with diarrhoea. All positive specimens came from either Asians or known homosexuals. Comparative tests showed a close phenotypic similarity between the human isolates and non-pathogenic porcine intestinal spirochaetes. These organisms differ from Brachyspira aalborgi, a spirochaete isolated from subjects with histologically confirmed intestinal spirochaetosis.