Leprosy is caused by mycobacterium leprae which is an acid fast bacillus. It's acid fastness if relatively less compared to mycobacterium tuberculosis. Pyridine extractability of acid fastness is a unique feature not found in other pathogenic mycobacteria.
The bacillus is a slightly curved rod that measures 2-8 microns in length and 0.2 to 0.6 microns in breadth. It's ends are usually blunted or rounded. The entire bacillus may