title: Modified blood supplemented Lowenstein Jensen medium improves recovery of mycobacteria from sputum samples.
abstract: Lowenstein Jensen medium containing 3% human blood in CPDA anticoagulant was compared with plain LJ medium for mycobacterial growth using 565 sputum samples. Mycobacterial growth appeared on both the media in case of 148 samples. However, growth was faster by one week and colony size larger over blood supplemented LJ in 53 of the 145 culture positives. Additional 12 samples which showed no growth on plain LJ could grow only on LJ supplemented with blood. While 3 samples revealed scanty growth on plain LJ alone. The experience suggests that two LJ slants; one plain and the other supplemented with blood be in inoculated routinely to increase speed of growth and recovery of mycobacteria from clinical samples.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Choithram Hospital & Research Centre, Indore.
authors.forename: Nanda
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Hemvani
authors.forename: D S
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Chitnis
mesh_terms: D001431:Bacteriological Techniques; D001769:Blood; D003470:Culture Media; D006801:Humans; D009169:Mycobacterium tuberculosis / Q000254:growth & development / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D013183:Sputum / Q000382:microbiology*; D014397:Tuberculosis, Pulmonary / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000382:microbiology
chemical_list: D003470:Culture Media