By disabling those cells, the organism prevents the body from mounting an immune response against it. Two notable bacteria that suppress the bodies reaction against them are Mycobacterium leprae , the cause of the disease leprosy, and Mycobacterium tuberculosis , the cause of the disease tuberculosis. In both cases, the Interleukin-2 response to the bacteria is reduced. In lepromatous leprosy, it has been shown that suppressor T cells , taken from the skin lesions caused by the disease, inhibit the responses of other T cells to Mycobacterium leprae antigens. Hiding inside cells .
Many bacteria avoid an immune response by hiding inside the cells of the immune system.
By doing so, they do not present antigens that will evoke an immune response. They multiply inside these cells, and then further invade the body when they are greater in number. Among the bacteria that use this strategy are Brucella , Listeria , Mycobacterium leprae and Mycobacterium tuberculosis , all of whom infect macrophages , the cells that are normally responsible for destroying invading bacteria. Mycobacterium leprae can also invade and inhabit cells that are not a part of the immune system. By releasing antigen into the bloodstream .