See Also: mycobacterium(encyclopedia)
mycobacterium(dictionary)
mycobacterium(medicine)
mycobacterium chelonae(medicine)
mycobacterium fortuitum(medicine)
mycobacterium haemophilum(medicine)
mycobacterium infections(medicine)
mycobacterium leprae(medicine)
mycobacterium lepraemurium(medicine)
mycobacterium marinum(medicine)

mycobacterium (sh)




Any of the rod-shaped bacteria that make up the genus Mycobacterium.

The two most important species cause tuberculosis and leprosy in humans; another species causes tuberculosis in both cattle and humans. Some mycobacteria live on decaying organic matter; others are parasites. Most are found in soil and water in a free-living form or in diseased tissue of animals. Various antibiotics have had some success against mycobacterium infections.