Abstract
Intestinal spirochetosis (IS) is a zoonotic infection caused by gram-negative, spiral-shaped bacilli belonging to the genus Brachyspira and an entity characterized histologically by spirochetes attached to the surface of colorectal epithelium resulting in a basophilic fringe. Although, as in animals, Brachyspira spp. can infect the colon in humans, their pathogenicity in humans remains controversial. Brachyspira infection is weak and subtle in most cases, and clinicians usually pay little attention to this bacillus ; however, it is severe enough in some cases to be mistaken for inflammatory bowel disease. We report herein our experience with a 16-year-old female who suffered from diarrhea for 2 months. Her colonoscopy findings showed edema and reddening at the ascending and transverse colon. The biopsy specimen showed gram-negative, spiral-shaped bacilli, confirming the diagnosis of IS. The pathological and clinical features of IS are discussed along with a review of the literature.
