Mycobacterium tuberculosis

Mycobacterium tuberculosis, the star of the fearsome bacteria, is responsible for tuberculosis, a strictly human disease. It is transmitted through the air, when an infected person coughs, sneezes or speaks... but rest assured: prolonged contact is generally necessary to catch it!

Mainly found in the lungs, it can also travel to the bones, kidneys or brain. Pulmonary tuberculosis causes a persistent cough (sometimes with blood), fever, night sweats, extreme fatigue and weight loss, which is why it was once called the White Death .

M. tuberculosis loves to be discreet: it is intracellular, hiding in the macrophages of the lungs to avoid the body's defenses. Its thick lipid wall gives it enhanced protection and natural resistance to several antibiotics. In addition, it divides very slowly (every 15 to 20 hours), which complicates its detection and treatment. To cultivate it in the laboratory? You need a special medium and above all... a lot of patience!

Its main advantage? It can go dormant for years, without symptoms, hiding in mini-fortresses called granulomas, waiting for the immune system to weaken before reactivating.

Good news: effective antibiotic treatment exists, even if it is long (6 months minimum). Be careful, however: some strains have become multi-resistant, making their treatment more complex. Fortunately, the BCG vaccine protects young children against the most serious forms.

Are you a fan of mythical microbes? Catch the collector's bug and add the Mycobacterium tuberculosis sticker to your collection!

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PUN: You can count on me, I'm your tuberculosis !