Kato L, Kim C H
Acta Leprol. 1979 Apr-Jun(75):49-54.
Once M. leprae is grown on artificial media in the test tube, it might prove to have a great variety of characteristics quite different to those expected from our knowledge of M. leprae isolated from the susceptible host. The cultures might be slow or fast growing, pigmented or colorless, pathogenic for the armadillo, or not; they might produce limited disease in the foot pad of mice, or the contrary. The in vitro M. leprae culture might or might not provoke a lepromine reaction; the culture might grow at a lower or higher temperature. It is well documented that mycobacteria show great differences in elasticity and adaptability to cultivation conditions. It is absolutely certain that once grown in a test tube, M. leprae will behave as an atypical species. However, each individual culture of M. leprae obtained in vitro will have the same drug sensitivity pattern as in the lepromatous leprosy patient from whom it was cultivated.
一旦麻风分枝杆菌在试管中的人工培养基上生长，它可能会表现出与我们从易感宿主中分离出的麻风分枝杆菌所预期的特征截然不同的多种特性。这些培养物可能生长缓慢或快速，有色素或无色，对犰狳致病或不致病；它们可能在小鼠脚垫中引起有限的疾病，或者相反。体外培养的麻风分枝杆菌可能会或不会引发麻风菌素反应；培养物可能在较低或较高温度下生长。有充分的文献记载，分枝杆菌在弹性和对培养条件的适应性方面表现出很大差异。可以肯定的是，一旦在试管中生长，麻风分枝杆菌将表现为非典型菌种。然而，在体外获得的每一株麻风分枝杆菌培养物都将具有与从中培养出它的瘤型麻风患者相同的药敏模式。
