Use of bactec 460 TB system in the diagnosis of tuberculosis.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate, the efficacy of BACTEC 460 TB system for the diagnosis of tuberculosis in a tertiary care hospital in Mumbai, India.


METHODS
We compared 12,726 clinical specimens using BACTEC 460 TB system and conventional method for detection of Mycobacterium tuberculosis over a period of six years.


RESULTS
The overall recovery rate was 39% by BACTEC technique and 29% using Lowenstein-Jensen (LJ) medium. An average detection time for B actec0 460 TB system was found to be 13.3 days and 15.3 days as against 31.2 days and 35.3 days by LJ method for respiratory and nonrespiratory specimens respectively. The average reporting time for drug susceptibility results ranged from 6-10 days for the BACTEC 460 TB system.


CONCLUSIONS
The BACTEC system is a good system for level II laboratories, especially in the diagnosis of extrapulmonary and smear negative tuberculosis.
Rodrigues
C S
CS
Department of Microbiology, PD Hinduja National Hospital and Medical Research Center, Mumbai, India. dr_crodrigues@hindujahospital.com
Shenai
S V
SV
Almeida
Dvg
D
Sadani
M A
MA
Goyal
N
N
Vadher
C
C
Mehta
A P
AP
D000995:Antitubercular Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D001431:Bacteriological Techniques / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D007194:India; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D009169:Mycobacterium tuberculosis / Q000187:drug effects / Q000254:growth & development / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D014376:Tuberculosis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000382:microbiology
D000995:Antitubercular Agents