01306nas a2200217 4500000000100000008004100001260001300042653001300055653001100068653002500079100001500104700001600119700001500135700001600150245008200166856004100248300001100289490000700300520076700307022001401074 1983 d c1983 Jun10aEyebrows10aHumans10aMycobacterium leprae1 aGummer C L1 aStarley J N1 aDawber R P1 aPearson J M00aThe distribution of Mycobacterium leprae in the hair follicle of the eyebrow. uhttp://ila.ilsl.br/pdfs/v51n2a09.pdf a205-100 v513 a
Longitudinal sections of hair follicles from the eyebrows of patients with active, untreated, lepromatous leprosy were studied. Mycobacterium leprae were found in the dermal papilla and outer root sheath of both anagen and telogen hair follicles. Bacilli were rarely found in those cell lines continuous with the environment, i.e., the hair shaft and the inner root sheath. The biochemical fate of these cell lines is such that they would not provide a suitable medium for the survival and transport of bacilli into the environment. We conclude that it is unlikely that the hair follicle plays a significant role in the dissemination of M. leprae but it may be important in providing a suitable site for the incubation of the bacillus within the dermis.
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