Question

Write down the Koch's postulates. Which of these postulates is not applicable to leprosy bacteria?

Answer 1

Koch's postulates are as follows:

• The organism (pathogen) must be regularly found in the body of the animal that is suffering from a disease. The organism (pathogen) must be isolated and grown in pure culture on artificial media.
• The same disease must be produced (showing characteristic symptoms) when the cultured organisms (pathogen) are injected into other healthy animals.
• The injected animals must be used to recover the same organism.

Koch's postulates are not applicable to the bacteria of leprosy because Mycobacterium leprae (causing leprosy) cannot be cultured on artificial media.