Repura

It is presented evidence indicating the growth of M, lepraemurium in cell-free liquid medium of enriched Kirchner (EK) containing a-ketoglutaric acid and cytochrome C (NC). When the bacilli, Hawaiian strain, which were smeared on a silicon coated slide, were cultivated in the NC medium, the bacilli gradually elongated and multiplied. After 60 days' cultivation at 30°C, the growth of the bacilli was recognized macroscopically as a turbid mass. On the other hand, no growth was recognized in the EK medium, which is the most suitable for the growth of usual acid-fast bacilli, settled as the control, under the NC medium.
Therefore, it could be concluded that the growth of acid-fast bacilli observed in the NC medium was unequivocally the growth of M. lepraemurium.

View full abstract

Show abstractHide abstract

In the previous paper, microscopic as well as macroscopic multiplication patterns of M. lepraemurium in cell-free liquid wedium mhich was composed of enriched Kirchner medium added with a-ketoglutaric acid and cytochrome C (NC medium) were described. In order to determine as to whether the remarkable growth patterns observed in the NC medium are due to quantitative multiplication or not, bacillary counting was periodically performed.
The results obtained indicated that the number of bacilli in the NC medium lineally increased after 10 days' latent period (lag phase), and reached the maximum at the 50th day after cultivation. The increase rate and a possible generation time, calculated from the growth curve obtained were approximately 8 times comparing with the initial in-oculum and 12.3 days, respectively.
In addition, it was noted the pathogenicity of the bacilli cultivated for 60 days in the NC medium to mice was indicated, whereas no pathogenicity of the bacilli incubated in the EK medium was shown.

View full abstract

Download PDF (234K)

Register with J-STAGE for free!