
What type of bacteria is Spirillum?
It is a genus of spiral-shaped bacteria ( Fig. 7.5) of the family Spirillaceae, aquatic except for one species ( S. minus) that causes a type of rat-bite fever in humans. Spirillum is microbiologically characterized as a gram-negative, motile helical cell with tufts of whip like flagella at each end.
What is the shape of Spirillum?
Shape 1 Bacteria belonging to the genus Spirillum have elongated forms with the body showing a spiral design. ... 2 As compared to other types of bacteria, these spirally twisted elongate bacteria are large. ... 3 The wavelength of these flagella is usually more than 3 micrometers. More items...
What is s Spirillum volutans?
Spirillum refers to a genus of Gram-negative bacteria in the family Spirillaceae. These bacteria are known for their elongated structure. In fact, Spirillum volutans (S. volutans), members of Spirillum are considered to be one of the largest species of bacteria.
How many species are in the genus Spirillum?
Currently, only three species are included in the genus Spirillum. These include Spirillum volutans, Spirillum winogradskyi, and Spirillum minus. Members of the genus Spirillum are characterized by a G+C content of about 38 mol% and are commonly found in freshwater environments (with the exception of S. minus).

Where can spirilla bacteria be found?
stagnant freshwaterMembers of the genus Spirillum are large, elongate, spiral shaped, rigid cells. Some have tufts of amphitrichous flagella at both poles. They are microaerophilic and usually found in stagnant freshwater rich in organic matter.
What are some examples of spirilla bacteria?
Spirillum (plural, spirilla). A bacterium with rigid spiral (helical) structure (not easily band, not flexible), thick, long, and move with flagella, 6–15 μm long and spiral in shape is called spirillum. For example, Campylobacter jejuni and Helicobacter pylori.
What does Spirillum do to humans?
The term spirillum is used generally for any of the corkscrew like species. It is a genus of spiral-shaped bacteria (Fig. 7.5) of the family Spirillaceae, aquatic except for one species (S. minus) that causes a type of rat-bite fever in humans.
Where are Spirillum Volutans found?
freshwaterSpirillum volutans is a gram-negative, bacterium from the genus of Spirillum which occurs in freshwater.
What disease does spirilla bacteria cause?
Spirillum minus, a short, spiral bacterium, is a cause of rat-bite fever. S. minus is more common in Asia than in the US and elsewhere in North America, where most cases of rat-bite fever are caused by Streptobacillus moniliformis. In Japan, the disease is known as sodoku (so, “rat”; doku, “poison”).
Are spirilla bacteria harmful?
Spirilla and other curved bacteria Two important pathogens of humans are found among the spiral forms. Campylobacter jejuni is the cause of bacterial diarrhea, especially in children. The bacterium is transmitted via contaminated food, usually undercooked poultry or shellfish, or untreated drinking water.
What does spirilla look like?
Spirilla (or spirillum for a single cell) are curved bacteria which can range from a gently curved shape to a corkscrew-like spiral. Many spirilla are rigid and capable of movement. A special group of spirilla known as spirochetes are long, slender, and flexible.
How do you treat spirilla?
Currently, penicillin is the drug-of-choice for the treatment of spirillar rat bite fever. The organism appears to be exquisitely susceptible to penicillin and it has been stated that only 2 doses of procaine penicillin or 1 dose of repository penicillin is adequate for cure (5).
What are the symptoms of spirilla?
Symptoms due to Spirillum minus may include:Chills.Fever.Open sore at the site of the bite.Rash with red or purple patches and bumps.Swollen lymph nodes near the bite.
Which is a spirillum?
Definition of spirillum : any of a genus (Spirillum) of curved elongated motile bacteria having tufts of flagella at both poles broadly : a spiral filamentous bacterium (such as a spirochete)
What are spiral shaped bacteria called?
Bacteria are classified according to their shape, or morphology. Spherical bacteria are known as cocci, rod-shaped bacteria are bacilli, and spiral-shaped bacteria are spirilla.
What are 3 bacteria examples?
Examples include Listeria monocytogenes, Pesudomonas maltophilia, Thiobacillus novellus, Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus pyrogenes, Streptococcus pneumoniae, Escherichia coli, and Clostridium kluyveri.
What are 4 types of bacteria?
Bacteria can be classified based on their shape into bacillus, coccus, vibrio and spirillum.
What type of bacteria is spiral shaped?
Spherical bacteria are known as cocci, rod-shaped bacteria are bacilli, and spiral-shaped bacteria are spirilla.
What are 2 types of bacteria that make us ill?
They reproduce quickly in your body. Many give off chemicals called toxins, which can damage tissue and make you sick. Examples of bacteria that cause infections include Streptococcus, Staphylococcus, and E. coli.
Where does spirillum minus occur?
The spirillum type of rat-bite fever occurs mainly in the Far East, especially in Japan where it is called Soduku. Penicillin is effective treatment. Spirillum minus can be seen on dark-ground illumination or by Leishman stains of blood or aspirate from infected glands.
Why is Spirillum minus not on the approved list of bacteria?
However, the organism is not on the Approved List of Bacterial Names because no type or reference strain for this taxon has been identified. It is considered a species incertae sedis (Latin for “species sits uncertain”) that does not belong to the genus Spirillum.
Where can I find Azospirilla?
This resulted from a search for associative N 2 -fixing bacteria in the rhizosphere of Digitaria and Zea mays in Brazil. Azospirilla are mainly found in large numbers in tropical soils, but in various temperate zones, and even in tundra and semi-desert sites of the Canadian High Arctic [ 12] the isolation of Azospirillum spp. has been reported. Azospirilla appear to colonize crop plants as well as weeds, annual as well as perennial plants and they have even been isolated from leaves of marine mangroves and from lake or pond water [ 8 ].
What is the S-layer of bacteria?
1) of a great variety of bacteria and archaea have clearly demonstrated that S-layer lattices completely cover the cell surfaces at all stages of cell growth and cell division. Although considerable variation exists in the supramolecular structure and chemistry of cell envelopes of prokaryotic organisms, S-layers must have coevolved with these diverse structures. 34 In most archaea, the S-layer (glyco)protein lattices are, as the only wall component, closely associated or integrated into the plasma membrane ( Fig. 2 ). In Gram-positive bacteria and in certain archaea, S-layers assemble on the surface of the rigid wall matrix, which is composed mainly of peptidoglycan and covalently attached secondary cell wall polymers (SCWPs) or pseudomurein, respectively. In Gram-negative bacteria, the lattice is attached to the lipopolysaccharide component of the outer membrane.
What is a spirillum?
Let's Work Together! Spirillum refers to a genus of Gram-negative bacteria in the family Spirillaceae. These bacteria are known for their elongated structure. In fact, Spirillum volutans (S. volutans), members of Spirillum are considered to be one of the largest species of bacteria.
What type of cell structure does a spirillum have?
Spirillum bacteria possess a rigid helical cell structure and are microaerophilic. They thrive in stagnant water and also occur in undercooked meat.
What antibiotics are prescribed for spirilla?
As far as treating infections from Spirilla is concerned, taking antibiotics belonging to the penicillin family, is recommended. Amoxicillin, clarithromycin, and levofloxacin are some of the antibiotics prescribed.
How big is a spiral shaped bacterium?
● These spiral-shaped bacteria have a diameter between 1.4 and 1.7 micrometers and their length can go to a maximum of 60 micrometers.#N#● The body cell of the bacterium shows helical twists that may vary from less than 1 to a maximum of 5.
When was the spirillum created?
The genus Spirillum was created in 1832 by Gottfried Ehrenberg, a German naturalist, anatomist, and microscopist. However, as many species began to be discovered over time, it became evident that they did not belong to the same group.
What is Spirilla (Singular, Spirillum)?
Spirilla (singular, Spirillum) are a group of bacteria characterized by a corkscrew (spiral) appearance. They are Gram-negative bacteria and are characterized by motile structures known as flagella. With the exception of one species, members of this group are commonly found in aquatic habitats where they are capable of swimming rapidly.
What is the genus of spirilla bacteria?
For a long time, Spirilla bacteria were classified under the genus Spirillum.
How big is a spirilla?
Like the other Spirilla bacteria, members of this genus are small in size and range from 0.4 to 1.4 um in diameter (and 1.2 to 75um in length). As the name suggests, Oceanospirillum bacteria are commonly found in marine environments.
What is a spirochaete?
Spirochetes (spirochaete) - Spirochaete is a phylum that consists of various human pathogens. Spirochetes include such genera as Treponema, Borrelia, and Leptospira. These organisms have been associated with a number of human diseases such as Lyme disease, relapsing fever, and syphilis among others. Spirochetes have a spiral shape (helical or corkscrew shape) and tend to be elongated (thin and elongated).
Which type of membrane is found in the oceanospirillum?
Apart from the typical plasma membrane, all Oceanospirillum species have a special type of membrane known as polar membrane. This membrane is usually located on the regions that contain the flagella and is linked to the inner part of the plasma membrane by bar-like links.
Do aquaspirillums grow in salt water?
Given that members of the genus Aquaspirillum reside in freshwater habitats, they do not grow under saline conditions (they have low salt tolerance and cannot grow in culture with 3 percent sodium chloride and above).
