Question

Which type of bacteria is responsible for tuberculosis?

• A. Rod shaped
• B. Gram positive
• C. Immobile and slow growing
• D. All of the above

Answer 1

Answer: (D)

All of the above

Tuberculosis (TB) is an infectious disease usually caused by the bacterium Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB). It is spread through the air when a person with TB (whose lungs are affected) coughs, sneezes, spits. Mycobacterium tuberculosis is an immobile and slowly growing, acid-fast, obligate aerobe. These are rod-shaped microorganisms of length 2-4 micrometres. M. tuberculosis has an unusual, waxy coating on its cell surface primarily due to the presence of mycolic acid. This coating makes the cells impervious to gram staining, and as a result, M. tuberculosis can appear either Gram-ve or Gram+ve.

So, the correct answer is 'All of the above'.