Mycobacterium laprae
Leprosy is a chronic mycobacterium disease.
It is caused by mycobacterium laprae.
Morphology
Weak acid fast bacilli, gram positive, non- sporing, non- motile slightly curved rod. Parallel side and rounded end.
Size; 1.8 micrometre in length and 0.2- 0.5 micrometre in diameter.
Characteristics
Very slow to grow and can't grow in artificial media.
Sources and Mode of Transmission
1. Transmitted by animal amadillos but exact mode of transmission of inection is not known.
Inhalation or through skin.
Pathogenesis
It is chronic granulomatous disease of humans and primarily involves skin, peripheral nervous system, nasal mucosa and also affect any tissue or organ.
The disease is classified into four types;
1. Lepromatous leprosy
Pale macules in skin.
2. Tuberculoid leprosy
Patches of flat coloured skin.
3. Borderline leprosy
Cutaneous skin condition with skin lesions red.
4. Intermediate leprosy
Laboratory diagnosis
Specimen collection
Direct microscopy
Morphology and Staining
Cultural characteristics
Lepromin test
Prevention and Control measures
Treatment with multi drug therapy(MDT) and no vaccine against it and transmission mode not known.
0 Comments