MIC 4100 Lecture Notes - Lecture 1: Lepromatous Leprosy, Tuberculoid Leprosy, Lymphadenopathy
Document Summary
Mycobacteria= group of bacteria with the agents that cause tb & leprosy! (high content of lipids/ wax). Because of the wax; they are resistant to disinfectants & cant do a gram stain. Mycobacteria= acid-fast; must use zn procedure to stain them: mycobacterium tuberculosis= acid-fast bacillus; causes slow & chronic pulmonary infection. You inhale aerosols of tubercle bacilli (ex. from a patient who has tb) Then the bacterium reaches lung alveoli & multiplies! Primary complex: a complex formed by (1) local lesion in the lung (2) draining lymphatics (3) enlarged lymph nodes. Usually the patient is unaware of this infection. Sometimes: tubercle bacilli enter the lymphatics & blood stream and go to the lungs, bones, kidneys, etc. 6 weeks after, the cmi system is fully active & usually stops the infection! Primary complex & foci heals from dissemination. But tubercle bacilli can survive in the foci & reactivate months/years later. Tuberculin: is a protein : post-primary tb: