1. Plural of mycobacterium; a genus of rod-shaped bacteria, some species of which cause serious diseases in humans and animals, including tuberculosis and leprosy.
Usage: technical/medical; plural form; often used in scientific and medical contexts

Examples

• Mycobacteria are responsible for tuberculosis, one of the world's leading infectious diseases.
• The laboratory identified mycobacteria in the patient's sputum sample.
• Certain mycobacteria are resistant to multiple antibiotics, making treatment challenging.
• Researchers are developing new drugs to target mycobacteria that cause leprosy.
• Mycobacteria have a thick, waxy cell wall that helps them survive in harsh environments.
• The infection was caused by atypical mycobacteria rather than the common tuberculosis strain.