Definition of Treponema pallidum

Treponema pallidum: The cause of syphilis, this is a microscopic bacterial organism called a spirochete, a worm-like spiral-shaped organism that wiggles vigorously when viewed under a microscope. Treponema pallidum was discovered in 1905 by the German bacteriologist Fritz Schaudinn (1871-1906) who named it, putting together the Greek trepo (I turn) and nema (thread) with the Latin pallida (pale) to make a pale turning thread.