01782nas a2200277   4500000000100000008004100001260001300042653001300055653001100068653001400079653001100093653003100104653001200135653001800147653001100165653001100176100001500187700001200202700001400214700001300228245008700241300000900328490000700337520114600344022001401490       1981                            d  c1981 Apr10aBacillus10aBotany10aGeography10aHumans10aHydrogen-Ion Concentration10aleprosy10aMycobacterium10aNorway10aPlants1 aIrgens L M1 aKazda J1 aMüller K1 aEide G E00aConditions relevant to the occurrence of acid-fast bacilli in sphagnum vegetation.  a41-70 v893 a<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>  a0105-0656