|
Mycobacteria are small, slow-growing, aerobic bacilli distinguished by a complex, lipid-rich cell envelope responsible for their characterization as “acid-fast” (ie, resistant to decolorization by acid after staining with carbolfuchsin). The most common mycobacterial infection is tuberculosis; others include leprosy and various diseases caused by Mycobacterium avium complex.
Last full review/revision November 2005
Content last modified November 2005
| 
