[Isolation of mycobacteria on different growth media and their identification]

To compare results of isolation of mycobacteria on different growth media.

From August 2005 to September 2008 Central Bacteriological Laboratory of MSPCTC performed 111,029 inoculations of clinical samples, isolated 14,513 (13.5%) cultures of mycobacteria, of which 14,095 (97.1%) belonged to M. tuberculosis complex and 418 (2.9%)--to non-tuberculous mycobacteria (NTM).

Two thirds of isolated NTM belonged to slowly growing NTM (Ranyon classification), of which bacteria from M. avium complex as well as M. kansasii and M. xenopi predominated. M. fortuitum was the most frequently isolated between rapidly growing NTM.

For isolation and identification of NTM the optimal was inoculation on at least 2 media: solid agar (Middlebrook 7H11) or egg medium and liquid medium (Middlebrook 7H9, in automated system BACTEC MGIT 960), each of which has its own advantages.