title: Pseudoepidemic of nontuberculous mycobacteria in a community hospital.
abstract: Soon after our hospital instituted the BACTEC mycobacterial isolation system, the proportion of cultures positive for nontuberculous mycobacteria increased dramatically. After eliminating other possible sources of contamination, the BACTEC probe's sterilization time and temperature were increased, and the incidence of positive mycobacterial cultures returned to its former rate.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Tennessee State University, Johnson City 37614-0622, USA.
authors.forename: J B
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Mehta
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kefri
authors.forename: D R
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Soike
mesh_terms: D001432:Bacteriology / Q000295:instrumentation*; D004866:Equipment Contamination; D005260:Female; D006745:Hospital Bed Capacity, 300 to 499; D006764:Hospitals, Community; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009164:Mycobacterium Infections / Q000382:microbiology*; D011786:Quality Control; D013242:Sterilization / Q000379:methods; D013714:Tennessee