title: A comparison of two different culture methods for use in the diagnosis of pulmonary tuberculosis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Tuberculosis (TB) continues to be a significant health problem worldwide. Pulmonary TB is a contagious disease. To control the spread of TB, the disease must be diagnosed early and treated effectively.
  
  
  METHODS
  In this study, we determined the rates and periods of TB bacterial reproduction using the Lowenstein-Jensen (LJ) and the Mycobacterium Growth Indicator Tube (MGIT) culture systems in respiratory specimens obtained from 105 suspected TB cases that applied to our service.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Using either the LJ or MGIT method, the reproduction rates of TB cultures from 91 positively diagnosed cases were determined to be 69.2% and 92.3% (p=0.116), respectively. The reproduction period for these same cultures was determined to be 29.7±10.0 days and 12.1±6.1 days (p<0.0001), respectively. The culture positivity rate determined using both the LJ and MGIT methods together was found to be significantly higher than the rate determined using either LJ or MGIT separately (p<0.0001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  For the early diagnosis of pulmonary tuberculosis, which is essential for controlling the spread of TB, the routine use of the MGIT system, which is a rapid, automated and non-radiometric method, combined with the LJ method would effectively increase the diagnosis rate in order to control tuberculosis outbreaks.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pulmonary Medicine, Ataturk University Faculty of Medicine, Erzurum, Turkey.
authors.forename: Esra Ekbic
authors.initials: EE
authors.lastname: Kadioglu
authors.affiliation: Department of Pulmonary Medicine, Ataturk University Faculty of Medicine, Erzurum, Turkey.
authors.forename: Elif Yilmazel
authors.initials: EY
authors.lastname: Ucar
authors.affiliation: Department of Pulmonary Medicine, Ataturk University Faculty of Medicine, Erzurum, Turkey.
authors.forename: Omer
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Araz
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, Ataturk University Faculty of Medicine, Erzurum, Turkey.
authors.forename: Esin
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Aktas
authors.affiliation: Department of Pulmonary Medicine, Ataturk University Faculty of Medicine, Erzurum, Turkey.
authors.forename: Leyla
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Saglam
keywords: Lowenstein-Jensen; Pulmonary tuberculosis; mycobacterium growth indicator tube