Short description
Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex refers to
Mycobacterium species that cause tuberculosis.
Detailed description
They are obligatory pathogenic, meaning they cause disease also in healthy humans. They mainly infect macrophages, the
immune system’s scavenger cells. The
Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex comprises the following species:
M. tuberculosis,
M. bovis,
M. africanum,
M. microti,
M. canetti and
M. pinnipedii as well as the vaccinal strain
M. bovis BCG. They are differentiated from
M. leprae and the non-tuberculous
mycobacteria.
