[Evaluation of 3 culture media for isolating mycobacteria from extrapulmonary samples].
OBJECTIVE
To compare three different media (Middlebrook 7H11, Löwenstein-Jensen and MB-Check System) for the isolation of mycobacteria from extrapulmonary samples in a routine medium-size microbiology laboratory.


METHODS
Extrapulmonary samples were processed for mycobacterial isolation during a 22-month period, and the three media above described were evaluated in paralell during the usual routine work.


RESULTS
907 extrapulmonary specimens were processed during the study period, being the MB-Check system the most sensitive medium for detection of mycobacterial growth (79.3%) compared with Middlebrook 7H11 (62.2%) and Löwenstein-Jensen (71.8%), increasing the overall sensitivity in 11.1%. However, the fastest medium for detection of mycobacterial growth was Middlebrook 7H11 (18.2 days) compared with Löwenstein-Jensen (21.6 days) and MB-Check (23.8 days), despite the higher rates of contamination detected in Middlebrook 7H11 (61.4% compared with 10.8% for Löwenstein-Jensen and 6.1% for MB-Check).


CONCLUSIONS
The combination of the three studied media is a useful alternative for isolation of mycobacteria from extrapulmonary specimens in medium-size laboratories.
Esteban
J
J
Servicio de Microbiología Médica, Fundación Jiménez Díaz, Madrid.
Valero-Moratalla
M L
ML
Jiménez-Arriero
M
M
Jiménez-Castillo
P
P
Soriano
F
F
D001826:Body Fluids / Q000382:microbiology; D001842:Bone and Bones / Q000382:microbiology; D003470:Culture Media; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D005243:Feces / Q000382:microbiology; D006801:Humans; D008099:Liver / Q000382:microbiology; D009161:Mycobacterium / Q000145:classification / Q000254:growth & development / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D009164:Mycobacterium Infections / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000382:microbiology*; D009165:Mycobacterium Infections, Nontuberculous / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000382:microbiology; D015270:Mycobacterium avium-intracellulare Infection / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000382:microbiology; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D012867:Skin / Q000382:microbiology; D013045:Species Specificity; D014376:Tuberculosis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000382:microbiology
D003470:Culture Media