Brachyspiraceae

Brachyspiraceae (pronunciation: brak-ee-spy-ruh-see-ee) is a family of bacteria belonging to the order Spirochaetales. The etymology of the term is derived from the Greek words "brachys" meaning short and "spira" meaning coil, referring to the characteristic short, coiled shape of the bacteria in this family.

Description

Members of the Brachyspiraceae family are typically Gram-negative, anaerobic, and spirochetal. They are known for their unique helical shape and their ability to move using flagella located within the periplasmic space.

Genera

The family Brachyspiraceae includes the following genera:

Pathogenicity

Some species within the Brachyspiraceae family are known to be pathogenic, causing diseases in both humans and animals. For example, Brachyspira pilosicoli and Brachyspira aalborgi are associated with intestinal spirochetosis in humans.

Related Terms

Spirochaetales: The order to which Brachyspiraceae belongs.
Bacteria: The domain of life to which Brachyspiraceae belongs.
Anaerobic organism: Describes the type of environment in which members of Brachyspiraceae can live.
Gram-negative bacteria: Describes the type of cell wall structure found in members of Brachyspiraceae.
Spirochete: Describes the characteristic shape of members of Brachyspiraceae.