Insights into the mysterious genetic variation profile of tprK in Treponema pallidum under the development of natural human syphilis infection. Treponema pallidum subsp. pallidum

Although the variations of tprK in Treponema pallidum are considered to play a critical role in the pathogenesis of syphilis, the actual variable characteristics of tprK in the course of natural human infection are unclear. Here, we performed NGS, a more sensitive and reliable approach, to investigate the tprK gene of T. pallidum directly from primary and secondary syphilis patients.