Adherence ofMycobacterium leprae to the nasal mucosa is influenced by surface integrity and viability |
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| Authors: | Kamal B Sethna Tannaz J Birdi Noshir H Antia |
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| Institution: | (1) The Foundation for Medical Research, 84-A, R G Thadani Marg, Worli, 400018 Mumbai, India |
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| Abstract: | The intranasal route is one of the main routes of Mycobacterium leprae infection and there is paucity of information regarding
the mode of spread of the pattern. The adherence of
M.leprae to the nasal mucosa, its trapping within the sinuses of the head, and its fate after entry into the host was studied
using mouse model. A comparison of the adherence profile of
M. leprae
and
Mycobacterium tuberculosis
showed that while larger numbers of
M. tuberculosis
were demonstrated within lungs, greater numbers of
M.leprae were present within the sinuses of the head. Adherence of
M.leprae to the nasal mucosa was dependent on surface integrity since opsonization and heat killing resulted in decreased numbers
of
M.leprae in the nasal sinuses and a greater amount entering the lungs. The adherence appeared to the independent of the viability
of the bacilli, as similar numbers of formalin-fixed, rifampicin-treated and viable
M.leprae entered the lungs in the initial stages. However the numbers of rifampicin-treated
M. leprae
in the nasal sinuses were 12-fold lower than the numbers of viable
M.leprae. These results indicated that both viability and surface integrity were important in the entry of
M.leprae and it’s consequent dissemination. |
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| Keywords: | Adherence Mycobacterium leprae nasal mucosa intranasal inoculation |
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