[The microbiological diagnosis of tuberculosis in areas under strict radiation control]

Mycobacterial variability was studied in active tuberculosis patients from radioactive contamination area subject to close radiation control. For such areas it was noted that the patients discharge altered coccoid mycobacteria stained with routine luminescent dyes. Biological investigations of freshly isolated strains revealed potentiation of M. tuberculosis virulence in patients with respiratory tuberculosis. A large number of patients from the contaminated areas against control demonstrated primary resistance to rifampicin and isoniazid.