Microbiology 3302 Spring 2013 – Getting Friendly with Bacteria Toggle navigation

Mycobacterium Leprae

Hello Lads ! (Prof Smyth Voice) My name is Mycobacterium Leprae ! and ive been around for quite sometime now as eary as 600 B.C but enough about my age. iam an intracellular pleomorphic acid fast bacterium with a slow doubling time of 14 days. This is because the restricted intake of nutrients to my pores. through my large waxy coating walls unique to my mycobacterium. I am a aerobic bacillius which means that i can survive and grow in an oxygenated enviorment. due to my thick waxy coating walls I stain with a carbol fuschin rathen than the traditional gram stain. My entire metabolic pathways have been lost to this genomic downsizing. i can no longer produce siderophores a key part of oxidative, micropholic and anaerobic chains. many regulatory elements of metabolism have also been lost ,and many catabolic pathways i have 5 beta oxidations. You can find me in soil , water and in the air. Majority of mycobacteria are non pathogenic. suspected to be found in soil due to many soil samples within areas known to house outbreaks of Leprosy. My ideal conditions are around 33 degrees C, which is lower than most mammals. Mammals with lower temperature are better host of Leprosy. That  is why only a few species are known to be carriers of M.Leprae. This is also why in humans Leprosy tends to be found primarily at the Peripheral nerves. Hand sand feet tend to be cooler than the core body temperature , providing a better habitat for me to live YAY ! (Does Cabbage Patch Dance). I am responsible  for the disease Leprosy. I also affect the Central Nervous System, mucus lining of the mouth, throat and lungs. My clients often experience numbness, skin lesions, joint pain and weakness. The inflammation in the cells causes Neuropathy and serious nerve damage. Now that i've filled you in about me i want you to meet some of my friends and family. In my family i have someone you might like to meet her name is Mycobacterium Tuberculosis (Jakia Ahmed) she's so cool ! although you might not want to meet her . she might cause you to be isolated. We are known for our Waxy components with our walls lacking outer membranes, being non motile and acid-alcohol fast stain.