Mycobacterium Tuberculosis

Paper Summary:

This paper examines how mycobacterium tuberculosis is a very efficient pathogen with a uniquely successful method of pathogenicity. It describes why it is an excellent pathogen, features of a tuberculosis infection and looks at social and economic impacts. Treatment and control programmes are also mentioned. Although a number of control programmes have been developed to help eradicate the organism, there is no definitive answer to the major endemic.

From the Paper:

"Mycobacterium tuberculosis does not produce toxins but it does however have a number of virulence factors that enable it to successfully infect a host. Cord factor (trehalose dimycolate) found in the cell wall is toxic and has both adjuvant and granuloma inducing properties, it also non-specifically activates macrophages.
The presence of secondary hydroxamates, which are iron-chelating agents, in the cell wall allows the bacteria to utilise the host's iron. The waxy outer capsule allows Mycobacterium tuberculosis to survive in air and dust for a long time, which contributes to the problems associated with eradicating this organism."

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