Occurrence of non-cultivable acid-fast bacilli in the environment and their relationship to M. leprae

Abstract

The fact that non culturable (NC) AFB resembling M. leprae have been isolated from the environment raises the following questions: What is the role being played by these NC AFB (which are capable of multiplying in environmental substrates) in the etiology of leprosy? Will continual ingestion of these AFB via drinking water or by direct contact with the environment lead to the outbreak of leprosy? The AFB differing from M. leprae in some of their properties might be of significance as co-factors in the genesis of leprosy, or possibly lead to subclinical leprosy.