Mycobacterium Leprae

When I began researching Mycobacterium leprae I knew very little about Leprosy and the information that I thought I knew was actually pretty inaccurate. There are a lot of rumors and theories about the disease and the actual route of transmission. If you are ever unfortunate to be plagued with this disease know that with the proper treatment and handled in a timely matter the long lasting effects will be kept to a minimum. This bacterium is an endospore and can stay dormant until the opportunity best presents itself to infect the host. Mycobacterium leprae has been around for thousands of years and was even mentioned in biblical times. Leprosy is also referred to as Hansen’s disease named after Gerhard Armauer Hansen, the first physician to closely study the causative agent. Mycobacterium leprae is a disease that mainly affects the skin and surface nerve cells of the infected individual. Mycobacterium leprae has a waxy mycolic layer that makes its cell impermeable to a simple gram stain. In order to stain the cell an acid-fast test must be done. In this test the bacteria is put through a series of stains using heat to drive the carbol fuschin and then the counter stain methylene blue into the cell. Acid fast organisms will retain the red and the non acid-fast will be blue when looked under a microscope using …show more content…
The first and less severe form is tuberculoid leprosy. Anyone with this form will present dry scaly lesions on the skin that lack sensation to touch. The cells can be detected through a delayed type hypersensitivity reaction to a dermal injection of Lepromin, which will test the severity of the disease. Tuberculoid leprosy can be treated with doses of Dapsone and Rifampin if screened early enough and continually monitored to ensure the antibiotics are taken in proper form for the complete