The effect of freezing and storage in liquid nitrogen on the viability and growth of Mycobacterium leprae.

The effects of rapid and slow rates of freezing in liquid nitrogen, storage in liquid nitrogen for 12 months, and the rate of subsequent thawing on the viability and growth of M. leprae in the mouse footpad were studied. Some loss of viability of M. leprae was detected, and this was found to be associated with the freezing process, rather than with storage or thawing. Slow freezing was less deleterious than quick freezing, with a loss of viability of 90% compared with 98%. The growth pattern of M. leprae was unaffected except for a delay in the appearance of growth caused by the loss of viability, though there was some evidence of an increased lag phase of one strain, possibly due to the repair of sub-lethally damaged organisms.