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from [ Mycobacterium]

Pathogenicity
The development of Hansen’s disease is caused by infection with either Mycobacterium leprae or Mycobacterium lepromatosis. Roughly 200,000 new cases of infection are reported each year, and 80% of new cases are reported in Brazil, India, and Indonesia. M. leprae infection localizes within the skin macrophages and Schwann cells found in peripheral nerve tissue.

A collection of Nontuberculosis Mycobacteria (NTM) that exclude M. tuberculosis, M. leprae, and M. lepromatosisare readily available to infect mammalian hosts. Such species are referred to as "atypical mycobacteria." Although person-to-person transmission is rare, transmission of M. abscessus has been observed between patients with cystic fibrosis. The four primary disease observed in humans are chronic pulmonary disease, disseminated disease in immunocompromised patients, skin and soft tissue infections, and superficial lymphadenitis. 80-90% of recorded NTM infections manifest as Pulmonary disease.

M. abscessus is the most virulent rapidly-growing mycobacteria (RGM), as well as the leading cause of RGM based pulmonary infections. Although it has been traditionally viewed as an opportunistic pathogen like other NTM's, analysis of various virulence factors (VF's) have shifted this view to that of a true pathogen. This is due to the presence of known mycobacterial VFs and other non-mycobacterial VF's found in other prokaryotic pathogens.



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