[Characteristics of bacterial excretion in conio-tuberculosis of the lungs]

Bacteriological examination of sputum smears of 42 patients with anthracotic tuberculosis divided according to the activity of a tuberculous process into 2 groups was undertaken. To achieve the growth of L-forms, sputum inoculation was done on Shkolnikova's semiliquid culture medium. Phase contrast microscopic examination of the sputum smears was carried out at 280 X magnification. As the pneumoconiotic process in patients with anthracotic pulmonary tuberculosis grows progressively worse, the rate of typical Mycobacterium strain positivity decreases, while the rate and intensity of L-forms excretion proportionally increase. In the patients with inactive forms of anthracotic tuberculosis, the bacillary excretion was characterized by monomorphism of vacuolized L-forms. At the same time, active forms of anthracotic tuberculosis were accompanied by a massive excretion of Myco. L-forms and featured a wide range of morphologic changes dominated by giant cells, cord-factor, heterogeneous granulation and homogeneous mass as a consequence of overall destruction of the cell membranes.