Why Mycobacterium Leprae Cannot Be Cultured?

The loss of genes in metabolic pathways such as energy metabolism, limiting the carbon sources M leprae can use, and holes in respiration pathways help to explain why M leprae can not be cultured in a laboratory and has only been shown to infect humans, the footpads of mice, and armadillos.

How is Mycobacterium leprae cultivated?

M. leprae has never been successfully grown in artificial media, but can be propagated in the mouse footpad and the nine-banded armadillo. The organism has a long doubling time of 13 days in the mouse footpad, selectively invades peripheral nerves, and grows preferentially at temperatures of 33–35°C.

Can you grow Mycobacterium leprae?

Cultivation. Since in vitro cultivation is not generally possible, it has instead been grown in mouse foot pads and more recently in nine-banded armadillos because they, like humans, are susceptible to leprosy.