title: Comparison of methods for tuberculosis bacteriology.
abstract: To improve efficiency of isolation of tubercle bacilli from clinical specimens, the following recommendations are presented. (i) Employ multiple specimens consisting of a combination of morning sputums for the early detection of positives, along with 24-hr sputum pools for the greatest total yield of positives. (ii) When timing is rigorously controlled, Zephiran-trisodium phosphate and sodium hydroxide-acetylcysteine are comparable, but if timing cannot rigidly be controlled, employ the Zephiran-trisodium phosphate digestion procedure to allow the greatest freedom in exposure time with the lowest kill rate to tubercle bacilli. (iii) Employ both an agar medium incubated in 5% CO(2), for the early detection of positives as well as positives in the presence of contaminants, and an egg medium, preferably with CO(2), to increase the yield of positives.
mesh_terms: D000362:Agar; D001431:Bacteriological Techniques; D001548:Benzalkonium Compounds / Q000494:pharmacology; D003470:Culture Media; D003545:Cysteine / Q000494:pharmacology; D004531:Eggs; D006801:Humans; D006878:Hydroxides / Q000494:pharmacology; D008722:Methods; D009169:Mycobacterium tuberculosis / Q000187:drug effects / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D010710:Phosphates / Q000494:pharmacology; D012964:Sodium / Q000494:pharmacology; D013183:Sputum / Q000382:microbiology*
chemical_list: D001548:Benzalkonium Compounds; D003470:Culture Media; D006878:Hydroxides; D010710:Phosphates; D000362:Agar; D012964:Sodium; D003545:Cysteine