Multicenter evaluation of AYC.2.2 agar for the isolation of mycobacteria from clinical samples

The aim of this multicenter study is to evaluate AYC.2.2 agar for the isolation of mycobacteria from clinical samples.

Totally 5559 media were tested in 7 centers. AYC.2.2 agar media for the study were prepared by C1 and sent to other centers under appropriate conditions. Other media except AYC.2.2 agar were purchased commercially. The media were subjected to routine laboratory operations in the center where they were sent. After the samples received for routine processing (in all centers, samples were processed with the same method (NALC-NaOH)), they were cultivated on routine media and AYC.2.2 agar afterward.

C1: Average growth time was determined as 12.74±3.74 days with MGIT 960 system; 24.42±4.75 days with LJ and 24.37±4.96 days with AYC.2.2 agar. C2: Average growth time was determined as 18.25±9.32 days with TK-Medium, 28.73±7.44 days with LJ, and 31.72±6.35 days with AYC.2.2 agar. C3: Average growth time was determined as 20.48±7.24 days with Ogawa medium, 20.74±7.12 days with LJ, and 20.26±7.43 days with AYC.2.2 agar. C4: Average growth time was determined as 15.27±6.37 days with MGIT 960 system, 22.14±9.1 days with LJ, and 22±8.45 days with AYC.2.2 agar. C5: Average growth time was determined as 13±4.24 days with MGIT 960 system, 32.16±6.23 days with LJ, and 33±5.73 days with AYC.2.2 agar. C6: Average growth time was determined as 9±3.11 days with MGIT 960 system, 18.68±5.32 days with LJ, and 18.34±4.63 days AYC.2.2 agar. C7: Average growth time was determined as 14.74±7.65 with MGIT 960 system, 26.01±8.21 days with LJ, and 26.24±7.88 days with AYC.2.2 agar.

In conclusion, similar results were obtained with LJ and Ogawa media and AYC.2.2 agar. Furthermore, more studies should be conducted for isolation of M. tuberculosis and performing antibiotic susceptibility tests using AYC.2.2 agar before it can be used as a routine media in the laboratories.