| Mycobacteria are abundant in soil and water but are | | | | fever, chest pain, respiratory insufficiency, fever and |
| more infamous for the diseases that they can cause. | | | | cough. Strains of Mycobacterium tuberculosis have |
| Mycobacterium tuberculosis is perhaps the most well | | | | become multidrug-resistant making the disease |
| known member of the group and is the bacterium | | | | particularly difficult to treat. Treatment includes |
| that causes tuberculosis. However, there are other | | | | chemotherapy and a combination of different types |
| species of mycobacteria, for example Mycobacterium | | | | of drug. Tuberculosis is spread by infective particles |
| leprae causes leprosy, Mycobacterium bovis causes | | | | produced through coughing by patients with active |
| tuberculosis in cattle, Mycobacterium avium causes | | | | tuberculosis. The air-borne particles carrying the |
| disease in immunocompromised people, | | | | bacteria can be inhaled by other people. |
| Mycobacterium bovis Bacille Calmette-Guérin | | | | Leprosy is a disease caused by Mycobacterium |
| (BCG) is a strain of Mycobacterium bovis used as a | | | | leprae, a bacterium related to the species that |
| vaccine and Mycobacterium smegmatis is a | | | | causes tuberculosis. In medical terms, leprosy is |
| non-pathogenic species used in laboratory research. | | | | described as a granulomatous disease of the |
| (Reference: Mycobacterium: Genomics and Molecular | | | | peripheral nerves and mucosa of the upper |
| Biology ISBN: 978-1-904455-40-0) | | | | respiratory tract. Skin lesions are the main visible |
| About one-third of the world's population is infected | | | | symptoms. According to the World Health |
| with tuberculosis, although the infection is latent | | | | Organization as many as three million people have |
| because the immune system is usually able to control | | | | been disabled due to leprosy. In recent years, leprosy |
| the Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection. About 10% | | | | has become a problem in HIV patients using |
| of infected people become ill with an active form of | | | | anti-retroviral drugs. |
| tuberculosis. | | | | Different species of Mycobacterium cause |
| Latent tuberculosis infection is when a person is | | | | tuberculosis, leprosy and other illneses. Mycobacterium |
| infected with Mycobacterium tuberculosis but does | | | | is a genus of Actinobacteria, given its own family, the |
| not have symptoms of disease. They are said to be | | | | Mycobacteriaceae. Much scientific research is being |
| asymptomatic. Active tuberculosis disease is the | | | | conducted on these microorganisms. In particular |
| full-blown disease which, if not treated, will kill half of | | | | much effort is being directed to the understanding of |
| the patients. One in ten latent infections will progress | | | | the genome of Mycobacterium with a view to |
| to active tuberculosis disease. Typical symptoms of | | | | developing and improving strategies for treatment. |
| an active tuberculosis patient include weakness, | | | | |