Mycobacterium leprae
Morphology
A view of rod-shaped bacillus bacteria.
Mycobacterium leprae are rod-shaped, which are known as bacillus. This is one of the reasons another common name for this disease is "Hansen's Bacillus." The name "Hansen" comes from the man who discovered M. leprae, (Gerhard Hansen) and the "bacillus" of course refers to the shape.
Some common characteristics of bacillus bacteria include being gram positive, either free-living or parasitic in nature, and test positive for the enzyme catalase. There are many more complex characteristics not listed as well. Mycobacterium leprae has all of the characteristics I listed above.
How can you see these? You must stain them! Learn more about staining here.
A view of rod-shaped bacillus bacteria.
Mycobacterium leprae are rod-shaped, which are known as bacillus. This is one of the reasons another common name for this disease is "Hansen's Bacillus." The name "Hansen" comes from the man who discovered M. leprae, (Gerhard Hansen) and the "bacillus" of course refers to the shape.
Some common characteristics of bacillus bacteria include being gram positive, either free-living or parasitic in nature, and test positive for the enzyme catalase. There are many more complex characteristics not listed as well. Mycobacterium leprae has all of the characteristics I listed above.
How can you see these? You must stain them! Learn more about staining here.