Mycobacterium lepraemurium | |
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Scientific classification ![]() | |
Domain: | Bacteria |
Phylum: | Actinomycetota |
Class: | Actinomycetia |
Order: | Mycobacteriales |
Family: | Mycobacteriaceae |
Genus: | Mycobacterium |
Species: | M. lepraemurium
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Binomial name | |
Mycobacterium lepraemurium Marchoux and Sorel 1912[1]
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Mycobacterium lepraemurium is a causative agent of feline leprosy.[2] It causes granulomatous lesions, characteristic of the Mycobacterium genus.
Description
[edit]Gram-positive, nonmotile and strongly acid-fast rods (3-5 μm long). Slightly rounded ends.
Colony characteristics
- Rough nonchromogenic colonies.
Physiology
- Growth on inspissated 1% egg yolk medium at 30 °C - 37 °C within 4–5 weeks (using large inocula, confined to a concentrated area of the medium, egg white is inhibitory).
Pathogenesis
[edit]- Cause of endemic disease of rats in various parts of the world, as well as feline leprosy.
- feline leprosy is transmitted by bites from rats and other cats.
- Disease occurs mainly in the skin and lymph nodes, causing induration, alopecia and eventual ulceration.
- Nodular lesions, involving subcutaneous tissues, may be solitary or multiple and usually confined to the head region or the limbs. Nodules are fleshy and freely movable.
- Surgical excision of the lesions is the preferred treatment.
- Only the densely and uniformly stained forms appear to be infectious for animals, in contrast to the degenerate unevenly stained forms.
- Biosafety level 2
Type strain
[edit]None specified due to difficulties in cultivation.
References
[edit]- ^ Marchoux, F., E. Sorel. 1912. Recherches sur la lèpre. Annales de l'Institut Pasteur (Paris), 26, 675-700.
- ^ Hughes MS, James G, Taylor MJ, et al. (August 2004). "PCR studies of feline leprosy cases". J. Feline Med. Surg. 6 (4): 235–43. doi:10.1016/j.jfms.2003.09.003. PMID 15265479. S2CID 11959603.