TABLE 8.

Independent comparison of culture sensitivities for each processing method

Method	Smear result	No. of specimens with culture result on media			Total no. of culture-positive AFB specimens	% Sensitivity on media
		Liquid and solid	Liquid only	Solid only		Liquid	Solid
NaOH	+	31	6a	0	37	100	83.8
	−	16	11b	1d	28	96.4	60.7
Total		47	17c	1e	65	98.5	73.8
CB-18	+	38	4f	14i	56	75.0	92.9
	−	4	12g	21j	37	43.2	67.6
Total		42	16h	35k	93	62.4	82.8

^aThese six included four MTBC and two MAC isolates. 

^bThese 11 included 2 MTBC, 6 MAC, 1 M. fortuitum, and 2 M. gordonae isolates. 

^cNone of the corresponding solid-medium cultures were lost to contamination. 

^dThis specimen was the M. gastri isolate. 

^eThe corresponding liquid culture was not contaminated. 

^fThese four included one MTBC and two unknown isolates and one of the lost isolates. 

^gThese 12 included 5 MAC, 2 M. avium-M. intracellulare-M. scrofulaceum, and 2 lost isolates and 1 M. gordonae, 1 M. fortuitum, and 1 of the M. chelonae isolates. 

^hOnly two (12.5%) of the corresponding solid-medium cultures were lost to contamination. 

ⁱThese 14 included 5 MTBC, 4 MAC, and 2 M. fortuitum isolates and 1 M. chelonae, 1 M. szulgai, and 1 of the M. kansasii isolates. 

^jThese 21 included 1 MTBC, 2 MAC, 5 M. fortuitum, 5 M. chelonae, 3 M. gordonae, and 2 M. neoaurum isolates and 1 M. avium-M. intracellulare-M. scrofulaceum, 1 unknown, and 1 of the lost isolates. 

^kA total of 11 (31.4%) of the corresponding liquid cultures were contaminated and subjected to redigestion by the CB-18/Acid procedure.