From: s.barrett@ic.ac.uk
X-NUPop-Charset: English
Date: Wed, 21 Jun 1995 07:18:30 +0000 (GMT)
Sender: s.barrett@ic.ac.uk
To: norr@casper.med.uth.tmc.edu
Subject: Human Intestinal Spirochetes

In Europe human intestinal spirochaetes are seen by histology in 3-8% of
large bowel biopsies but can be cultured from <1% of faeces.  Faecal
culture rates are much higher in developing countries but there does not
seem to be any information on what the histological positivity rate is in
these countries.  Does anyone have contacts with histopathologists in
the developing world who could be asked?  Also does anyone know of a
diagnostic laboratory in the developing world that could be persuaded to
try culturing these organisms?

Thanks

Steve Barrett