Treponema (family Spirochaetaceae, order Spirochaetales) A genus of flexible, spirally shaped bacteria which are anaerobic or micro-aerophilic chemo-organotrophs. There are many species, found in the alimentary and reproductive tracts in humans and other animals. Some species are pathogenic, e.g. T. pallidum is the causal agent of syphilis.

Treponema (trep-ŏ-nee-mă) n. a genus of anaerobic spirochaete bacteria. All species are parasitic; some cause disease, such as T. carateum (pinta), T. pallidum (syphilis), and T. pertenue (yaws).