[Comparative evaluation between MB/BacT system and Löwenstein-Jensen solid culture media for mycobacterial isolation]

Tuberculosis is a public health issue in both developed and developing countries. Success of the treatment depend on the identification of patients with positive sputum smears, rapid confirmation of diagnosis in patients with negative microscopy and identification of mycobacterial strains with altered drug susceptibility. Data from the literature show that liquid culture media have a higher sensitivity for isolation mycobacteria than solid culture media as Löwenstein-Jensen. In our series inoculation on liquid media resulted in retrieval of a significant higher number of mycobacterial strains than on solid media (435 vs 250). The time needed to obtain a positive culture was also lower for liquid media (15.89 +/- 9 days, mean +/- standard deviation) than for solid media (27.77 +/- 10.13 days), p < 0.001. These differences were seen in both smear negative and smear positive cases. Culture in liquid media isolated more strains with altered drug susceptibility but this difference was not statistically significant.