Some aspects of Mycobacterium leprae biology
Journal Title: Postępy Nauk Medycznych - Year 2011, Vol 24, Issue 10
Abstract
Mycobacterium leprae was the first bacterium shown to be associated with disease in humans through the work of Hansen in the 1870s, but the sources of infection, mode of transmission and early pathogenesis of infection remain an enigma.Actually, leprosy remains an important health problem worldwide existing in many developing countries and many features of its determinants are still obscure. The disease is caused by a chronic granulomatous infection of the skin and peripheral nerves. Several features distinguish M. leprae from other members of mycobacterium genus: 1. loss of acid-fasness upon extraction with pyridine, 2. ability to oxidize 3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine, 3. replacement of L-alanine with glycine in the linking peptide of peptoglican, 4. 56% GC content as compared with 65-70% for most Mycobacterium species, 5. lack of substantial genomic DNA homology with other Mycobacterium species. The systematic use of multidrug therapy (MDT), as recommended by WHO Study Group in 1982 is highly effective for all forms of disease. The widespread implementation of MDT has been associated with a fall in the prevalence of leprosy but as yet no reduction in the case-detection rate globally. Because of lack of laboratory tools to detect leprosy in its very early stage it is difficult to measure the main epidemiological indicators – annual incidence and new case detection rate. The global elimination strategy will be revised taking new molecular epidemiology knowledge into account. In laboratory Mycobacterium leprae is detected by Ziehl-Neelsen stain method, PCR, Hein-test, level of dihydroxyphenyalanine oxidise and cultivation on the feet of mice or on nine banded armadillos.
Authors and Affiliations
Ewa Augustynowicz-Kopeć, Zofia Zwolska
Keywords
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