Isolation and identification of mycobacteria from patients with pulmonary tuberculosis

A total of 500 clinically and radiologically positive cases of pulmonary tuberculosis were examined microscopically and culturally for the presence of Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Out of those, 40 percent were found to be positive by ordinary Z.N. stain and 35 per cent by culture. Fluorescent stain proved to be more sensitive than ordinary Z.N. stain, where 62.7 per cent was found to be positive. All the isolated culture when subjected to different biochemical tests for identification of the strains, they all turned out to be Myco. tuberculosis, human type.