[Bacteremia caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis and/or Mycobacterium avium detected by the non-radiometric Bactec system].
BACKGROUND
To assess the utility of Bactec non-radiometric system in detecting disseminated mycobacteremia.


METHODS
Blood cultures are processed using the Bactec NR 660/HPS system. Incubation of the NR6A vials, from HIV infected patients, is prolonged for 6 weeks and read once a week. After the 14th day of incubation a growth value > or = 30 is considered positive.


RESULTS
Mycobacteria were recovered from 80 blood cultures from 32 human immunodeficiency virus infected patients. The mean time required to detect growth was 37.8 days (range 20-45). Mycobacterium tuberculosis was isolated from 18 patients and Mycobacterium avium from 14. In 12 patients (37.5%) blood culture was the first or the only positive specimen.


CONCLUSIONS
Prolonged incubation of NR6A medium has proved to be a suitable method for detecting mycobacteremia.
Planes
A M
AM
Servicio de Microbiología, Ciutat Universitària de la Vall d'Hebron, Barcelona.
Gasser
I
I
González
T
T
Ramírez
A
A
Arcalís
L
L
D000328:Adult; D016470:Bacteremia / Q000382:microbiology*; D001431:Bacteriological Techniques; D001769:Blood / Q000382:microbiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015269:Mycobacterium avium Complex / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D015270:Mycobacterium avium-intracellulare Infection / Q000382:microbiology*; D009169:Mycobacterium tuberculosis / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D014376:Tuberculosis / Q000382:microbiology*
Bacteriemia por Mycobacterium tuberculosis y/o Mycobacterium avium detectada con el sistema Bactec no radiométrico.