Dictionary:

treponema

  (trĕp'ə-nē'mə)

Also from Answers.com... Cancer Treatments Learn about current and promising cancer treatments.

Any of a group of spirochetes of the genus Treponema, including those that cause syphilis, pinta, and yaws.

[New Latin Treponēma, genus name : Greek trepein, to turn + Greek nēma, thread.]

A genus of schizomycetes composed of parasitic and pathogenic spiral microorganisms.

A genus of anaerobic spirochetes including species that cause syphilis, pinta, and yaws.

A genus of spirochetes (family Spirochaetaceae), motile gram-negative, spiral-shaped rods.

• T. paraluiscuniculi — causes benign venereal spirochetosis of rabbits called rabbit syphilis.

The noun has one meaning:

Meaning #1: spirochete that causes disease in humans (e.g. syphilis and yaws)