mycobacteria

American  

[mahy-koh-bak-teer-ee-uh] / ˌmaɪ koʊ bækˈtɪər i ə /

plural noun

Bacteriology.

singular

mycobacterium

1. rod-shaped aerobic bacteria of the genus Mycobacterium, certain species of which, as M. tuberculosis, are pathogenic for humans and animals.

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Other Word Forms

• mycobacterial noun

Etymology

Origin of mycobacteria

First recorded in 1905–10; from New Latin, a genus name; myco-, bacteria

Example Sentences

Inhaling nontuberculous mycobacteria is common for most people.

From Science Daily • Mar. 14, 2024

Nontuberculous mycobacteria, which can cause lung infections, appear to be relatively common in shower heads, for instance.

From New York Times • Oct. 27, 2018

For example, Casanova and others have found more than a dozen mutations that disrupt the body's ability to battle non-TB mycobacteria, and all of them mess with interferon gamma—a key immune system activator.

From Scientific American • Jul. 1, 2018

The mycobacteria that cause leprosy are slow growing, and have an affinity for peripheral nerves and cooler parts of the body.

From Forbes • Mar. 6, 2015

In 2010, the researchers figured out why: the drug only blocked the ability of the mycobacteria to survive in its glycerol suspension — leaving it with little relevance in the world beyond the test tube.

From Nature • Oct. 9, 2013