treponema maltophilum treponema maltophilum treponema maltophilum is a species of treponema. it is implicated as a pathogen in chronic periodontitis which can induce bone loss. this motile bacillus is a gram negative, facultative anaerobe and a spirochaete. treponema maltophilum scientific classification domain: bacteria phylum: spirochaetota class: spirochaetia order: spirochaetales family: treponemataceae genus: treponema species: t. maltophilum binomial name treponema maltophilumwyss et al., 1996