What is the causative organism for tuberculosis?

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Multiple Choice

What is the causative organism for tuberculosis?

Tuberculosis is caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis, a slow-growing acid-fast bacillus with a waxy cell wall rich in mycolic acids. This organism is transmitted via inhaled respiratory droplets and tends to establish infection in the lungs, leading to granulomatous inflammation and caseating necrosis. The other options don’t cause TB: Mycobacterium leprae causes leprosy; Bacillus Calmette-Guérin is a vaccine strain used to prevent TB; Streptococcus pyogenes is responsible for strep infections. The distinctive association of TB with Mycobacterium tuberculosis—its acid-fast staining, slow growth, and pulmonary disease pattern—explains why it is the correct answer.

Tuberculosis is caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis, a slow-growing acid-fast bacillus with a waxy cell wall rich in mycolic acids. This organism is transmitted via inhaled respiratory droplets and tends to establish infection in the lungs, leading to granulomatous inflammation and caseating necrosis. The other options don’t cause TB: Mycobacterium leprae causes leprosy; Bacillus Calmette-Guérin is a vaccine strain used to prevent TB; Streptococcus pyogenes is responsible for strep infections. The distinctive association of TB with Mycobacterium tuberculosis—its acid-fast staining, slow growth, and pulmonary disease pattern—explains why it is the correct answer.

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