Thekey differencebetweenMycobacterium tuberculosisand nontuberculous mycobacteria is thatMycobacterium tuberculosisis the causative agent oftuberculosiswhile nontuberculous mycobacteria are causative agents of lung diseases, but they do not cause tuberculosis.
Mycobacterium tuberculosisand nontuberculous mycobacteria cause chronic lung infections. However,Mycobacterium tuberculosiscauses tuberculosis which transmits from person to person from the air via aerosolized nuclei. Therefore, humans are the only reservoir of this bacterium. Nontuberculous mycobacteria cause pulmonary diseases that resemble tuberculosis, but they do not cause tuberculosis. Nontuberculous mycobacteria infect people with weak immune systems.
CONTENTS
1.Overview and Key Difference
2.What is Mycobacterium Tuberculosis
3.什么是Nontuberculous Mycobacteria
4.Similarities Between Mycobacterium Tuberculosis and Nontuberculous Mycobacteria
5.Side by Side Comparison – Mycobacterium Tuberculosis vs Nontuberculous Mycobacteria in Tabular Form
6.Summary
What is Mycobacterium Tuberculosis?
Mycobacterium tuberculosisis the causative agent of tuberculosis. It is a human pathogenic bacterium which is airborne. Humans are the only known reservoirs of this bacterium. Tuberculosis is a pulmonary disease transmitted via aerosolized nuclei from person to person. It is acontagiousairborne disease.
Figure 01: Mycobacterium Tuberculosis
Structurally,Mycobacterium tuberculosisis a large-non-motile rod-shaped bacterium. It is aerobic; hence it requires oxygen to grow, and it is a non-spore-forming bacterium. Mycobacterium tuberculosis has a waxy coating on its cell wall. Therefore, this bacterium is impervious to gram staining and is not classified asgram-negative or gram-positive. Moreover, this bacterium shows a slow generation time, usually 15 – 20 hours. The bacterial cells are 2 – 4 micrometres in length and 0.2 – 0.5 um in width.
What are Nontuberculous Mycobacteria?
Nontuberculous mycobacteria is a term given to a group of mycobacteria that do not cause tuberculosis and leprosy. These bacteria are found in soil and water. They can form biofilms as well. They are aerobic non-motile bacteria. They cause infections in airways and lung tissue, but not tuberculosis and leprosy. The common symptoms of nontuberculous mycobacterial lung diseases are chronic cough, fatigue, weight loss, fever and night sweats. Normally, nontuberculous mycobacteria infect people with weakened immune systems. However, unlike tuberculosis, nontuberculous mycobacterial diseases are not considered contagious.
What are the Similarities Between Mycobacterium Tuberculosis and Nontuberculous Mycobacteria?
- 他们是种分枝杆菌。
- BothMycobacterium tuberculosisand nontuberculous mycobacteria are aerobic bacteria which are non-motile.
- Mycobacterium tuberculosisand nontuberculous mycobacteria cause chronic lung infections.
- Their infections can occur throughout the body.
- Patients with mycobacterium tuberculosis disease and nontuberculous mycobacterial disease are advised to quit smoking, increase fluid intake and rest.
What is the Difference Between Mycobacterium Tuberculosis and Nontuberculous Mycobacteria?
Mycobacterium tuberculosisis the causative agent of the chronic lung disease tuberculosis while nontuberculous mycobacteria are a group of mycobacteria that do not cause tuberculosis and leprosy. Thus, this is the key difference between Mycobacterium tuberculosis and nontuberculous mycobacteria. Moreover, humans are the main reservoir ofMycobacterium tuberculosis复合菌群,而非结核分枝杆菌在soil and water. Also, another difference between Mycobacterium tuberculosis and nontuberculous mycobacteria is that tuberculosis is a contagious disease while nontuberculous mycobacterial diseases are not considered as contagious.
The below infographic summarizes the difference between Mycobacterium tuberculosis and nontuberculous mycobacteria.
Summary – Mycobacterium Tuberculosis vs Nontuberculous Mycobacteria
Mycobacterium tuberculosisis the bacterium that causes tuberculosis. Nontuberculous mycobacteria are all the other mycobacteria that do not cause tuberculosis and leprosy. Nontuberculous mycobacteria cause pulmonary diseases that are not considered contagious. Humans are the main reservoir ofMycobacterium tuberculosis复合菌群,而非结核分枝杆菌在soil and water. So, this summarizes the difference betweenMycobacterium tuberculosisand nontuberculous mycobacteria.
Reference:
1. “Nontuberculous Mycobacteria.” Ucsfhealth.org,Available here.
2. “Mycobacterium Tuberculosis.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 14 Sept. 2020,Available here.
Image Courtesy:
1. “Depiction of a tuberculosis patient” ByMyupchar–(CC BY-SA 4.0)viaCommons Wikimedia
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