[Detection and identification of tuberculosis by amplification of mycobacterial DNA from clinical cultured samples]

We examined 57 cultured mycobacteria using a method based on polymerase chain reaction (PCR), slot blot hybridization and dideoxy sequencing of nucleotides for detection of M. tuberculosis. Using standard microbiological tests, 34 of 57 specimens were identified as M. tuberculosis and the rest as atypical mycobacteria. Two of 34 specimens that contained M. tuberculosis were not hybridized with a probe specific for M. tuberculosis. These two specimens were identified as atypical mycobacterium by nucleotide sequencing. An atypical mycobacterium specimen that was hybridized with a prove specific for M. tuberculosis was identified as M. tuberculosis using nucleotide sequencing. These results suggest that the approach using PCR and slot blot hybridization for detection of mycobacterium may be more accurate than standard microbiological tests in the rapid and definitive diagnosis of mycobacterial infection.