A team of researchers at New York Medical College (NYMC) has identified and characterized a novel strain of Treponema pallidum, the bacterium that causes syphilis. Designated NYMC01, the new strain was associated with a painful oral lesion in primary syphilis—a presentation that challenges long-held clinical teachings that syphilitic chancres are painless.

“Having NYMC's name associated with this new strain in the scientific nomenclature highlights the College’s leadership in advancing infectious disease research and fostering an environment that supports groundbreaking scientific discovery,” says Maria Rosa Velasquez, M.D., FACP, assistant professor of medicine and lead author on the studystudy (opens in a new tab) published in Sexually Transmitted Diseases.

https://www.nymc.edu/newsroom/stories/nymc01-novel-bacterial-strain-found.php