@article{17013,
  keywords = {Bacillus, Botany, Geography, Humans, Hydrogen-Ion Concentration, leprosy, Mycobacterium, Norway, Plants},
  author = {Irgens L M and Kazda J and Müller K and Eide G E},
  title = {Conditions relevant to the occurrence of acid-fast bacilli in sphagnum vegetation.},
  abstract = {<p>Biotopes with intact sphagnum vegetation were studied in Naustdal, West Norway: the health district with the former highest leprosy incidence rates in Norway. Concentration of acid-fast bacilli and concentration of non-cultivable acid-fast bacilli found in the vegetation fluid were compared with a series of variables related to the local environment and to the samples of vegetation. In bivariate analyses high concentrations were found in biotopes with orientation toward South, with a high coverage of vascular plants and with presence of Ericaceae. High concentrations were also found where dry weight of a vegetation was high, where pH in the fluid was low and where dry weight of the fluid was high. In a multivariate analysis, log-linear model, based on concentration of acid-fast bacilli as the dependent variable and orientation, pH, dry weight of vegetation and dry weight of fluid as the independent variables, all two-factor effects including the dependent variable were retained in the model. Furthermore, orientation versus dry weight of vegetation and dry weight of fluid versus dry weight of vegetation were retained.</p>},
  year = {1981},
  journal = {Acta pathologica et microbiologica Scandinavica. Section B, Microbiology},
  volume = {89},
  pages = {41-7},
  month = {1981 Apr},
  issn = {0105-0656},
  doi = {10.1111/j.1699-0463.1981.tb00150_89b.x},
  language = {eng},
}