A researcher wishes to propagate Mycobacterium leprae outside the human body. Which of the following is the established method for maintaining viable M. leprae organisms?
- A Infection of the nine-banded armadillo or mouse footpad inoculation ✓
- B Growth on Lowenstein-Jensen medium at 32 degrees Celsius
- C Culture in Middlebrook 7H9 broth supplemented with oleic acid
- D Growth on blood agar under 5 percent CO2
Correct answer: A. Infection of the nine-banded armadillo or mouse footpad inoculation
Explanation
M. leprae has never been reliably grown on artificial bacteriological media. It can be propagated only by inoculation into the mouse footpad (slow local growth) or the nine-banded armadillo, whose low body temperature of about 33 degrees Celsius favours bacillary multiplication. Armadillos are also a natural reservoir of leprosy in parts of the southern United States. All other options describe media supporting M. tuberculosis or rapidly growing mycobacteria, not M. leprae.
Reference: Ananthanarayan and Paniker's Textbook of Microbiology, 11th ed.
High-yield for: NEET PGINI-CETNExTFMGEUSMLEPLABMRCP
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