Early detection of Mycobacterium tuberculosis in BACTEC cultures by ligase chain reaction.
The LCx Mycobacterium tuberculosis ligase chain reaction system (Abbott Diagnostic Division, Abbott Park, Ill.) was used to detect M. tuberculosis in 150 consecutive BACTEC vials on the day on which a positive growth index (GI) was recorded. By LCx, M. tuberculosis DNA was detected in BACTEC vials on average 2.6 days before the presence of acid-fast bacilli could be confirmed by microscopic examination. A total of 106 of 108 M. tuberculosis isolates were detected without centrifugation from bottles presenting very low GIs (average, 70; median, 33). No false-positive result was obtained from nontuberculous mycobacteria or from isolates with contaminants.
Laboratorio di Microbiologia e Virologia, Ospedale di Careggi, 50139 Florence, Italy. tortoli@dada.it
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Tortoli
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Lavinia
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MT
Simonetti
D003470:Culture Media; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D009161:Mycobacterium / Q000145:classification / Q000254:growth & development / Q000302:isolation & purification; D009164:Mycobacterium Infections / Q000145:classification / Q000175:diagnosis; D009169:Mycobacterium tuberculosis / Q000145:classification* / Q000254:growth & development / Q000302:isolation & purification; D021141:Nucleic Acid Amplification Techniques; D014376:Tuberculosis / Q000175:diagnosis*
D003470:Culture Media; D004269:DNA, Bacterial