Diversity in Cell Shape of Mycobacterium tuberculosis

This chapter briefly reviews the variable cell shape in Mycobacterium tuberculosis . The tubercle bacillus does not always manifest itself in the classical rod shape. They can appear as a granular rod, round, Y-, V-, ovoid, and club shapes. These variable shapes can be seen as a marker of virulence, of biological defense against specific immune responses, or of cell division. However, the possible significance of such variant forms with respect to etiology, control, and prognosis of tuberculosis infection is not very clear and needs future investigations.