title: Isolation rates of different mycobacterial species from Chandigarh (north India).
abstract: A total of 4958 patients, clinically suspected to have tuberculosis were screened for mycobacteria by acid fast staining and culture procedures. Mycobacterial species were isolated from 462 (9.3%) patients while acid fast bacilli were demonstrated on smear examination in 83 (1.7%) patients. Mycobacterium tuberculosis was the most common isolate (92%). Among the nontuberculous mycobacteria, M. fortuitum was isolated in 13 (2.8%), M. avium in 2 (0.4%) and M. szulgai in 1 (0.2%). In 22 individuals clinically suspected of tubercular pleural effusion, pleural biopsy specimen gave higher isolation of mycobacteria (27.3%) as compared to isolations from pleural fluid specimens (9.1%).
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Microbiology, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education & Research, Chandigarh.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Chakrabarti
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sharma
authors.forename: M L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Dubey
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007194:India; D009161:Mycobacterium / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D009164:Mycobacterium Infections / Q000382:microbiology*; D009165:Mycobacterium Infections, Nontuberculous / Q000382:microbiology*; D009169:Mycobacterium tuberculosis / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D009170:Nontuberculous Mycobacteria / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D014376:Tuberculosis / Q000382:microbiology*