Red Complex Spirochete — NDEB AFK MCQ
Instant feedback + full explanation. One question, done properly.
Educational content. Not a substitute for clinical judgement or local policy.
Reveal the answer and explanation
Correct answer: D — Treponema denticola
Treponema denticola is the spirochete member of Socransky's 'red complex' — the three species most strongly associated with severe forms of periodontitis. The red complex consists of P. gingivalis (Gram-negative anaerobic rod), T. forsythia (Gram-negative anaerobic rod), and T. denticola (Gram-negative anaerobic spirochete). T. denticola contributes to tissue invasion, immune evasion, and proteolytic degradation of the periodontium. A. actinomycetemcomitans is associated with aggressive/molar-incisor pattern periodontitis but is not part of the red complex.
Reference: Lamont – Oral Microbiology and Immunology, 3rd ed., 2019