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Mycobacterium tuberculosis

bacterium
Also known as: tubercle bacillus

Quick Summary

Mycobacterium tuberculosis is a slow-growing, rod-shaped bacterium that causes tuberculosis (TB). This bacterium has a thick, waxy cell wall, making it resistant to many environmental conditions and difficult to treat. It thrives in oxygen-rich areas like the lungs and can survive inside immune cells, allowing it to remain dormant for years before becoming active infection. TB spreads through the air when an infected person coughs, sneezes, or speaks, releasing bacteria in tiny droplets that can be inhaled by others. Transmission is more likely in crowded or poorly ventilated spaces.1

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