Comparison of MB/BacT and BACTEC 460 TB systems for recovery of mycobacteria in a routine diagnostic laboratory.
MB/BacT, BACTEC 460 TB, and Löwenstein-Jensen (LJ) medium were evaluated in parallel for recovery of mycobacteria from 3,700 continuous clinical specimens in a routine laboratory. Mycobacteria were identified from 123 (3.3%) specimens. The recovery rates for all mycobacteria by the different systems were 91.0, 73.0, and 53.6% for BACTEC 460 TB, MB/BacT, and LJ medium, respectively. The recovery rates for Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex were 97.1, 80. 2, and 67.6%, respectively. The lack of sensitivity of the MB/BacT system was more pronounced with smear-negative specimens and resulted in a failure to detect three patients with infectious tuberculosis.
Roggenkamp
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Max von Pettenkofer-Institute for Hygiene and Microbiology, Ludwig Maximilians University Munich, 80336 Munich, Germany. Rogge@m3401.mpk.med.uni-muenchen.de
Hornef
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MW
Masch
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Aigner
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B
Autenrieth
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IB
Heesemann
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J
D015373:Bacterial Typing Techniques; D001431:Bacteriological Techniques / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D005188:False Negative Reactions; D006801:Humans; D009161:Mycobacterium / Q000145:classification / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D009164:Mycobacterium Infections / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000382:microbiology; D009169:Mycobacterium tuberculosis / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013045:Species Specificity; D014376:Tuberculosis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000382:microbiology