Mycobacterium leprae
A Microbial Biorealm page on the genus Mycobacterium leprae
Classification
Higher order taxa
Bacteria; Actinobacteria; Actinobacteria; Actinobacteridae; Actinomycetales; Corynebacterineae; Mycobacteriaceae ; Mycobacterium [Others may be used. Use NCBI link to find]
Species
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NCBI: Taxonomy |
Mycobacterium leprae
Description and significance
Mycobacterium leprae is responsible for leprosy or Hansen's disease. Cases of leprosy have been recorded as early as 600 B.C. In 2004, The World Health Organization reported that there were 407,791 new cases of leprosy. Leprosy is a serious world issue, in Brazil, India, Democratic of Congo, Tanzania, Nepal, Mozambique, Madagascar, Angola and the Central African Republic leprosy is a major problem. Mycobacterium leprae is an intracellular bacterium, infecting nerve, skin and mucosal cells. In laboratory environments, Mycobacterium leprae is cultured on the feet of mice or on nine banded armadillos due to the inability to culture in vitro.
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Genome structure
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Cell structure and metabolism
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Ecology
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Pathology
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Application to Biotechnology
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Current Research
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References
Edited by student of Rachel Larsen and Kit Pogliano
