TABLE 1.

Time-to-negative cultures for mycobacteria isolated from clinical specimens

Type of specimen	Smear result	Organism isolated	TTD in each medium (days)a			Detection within:
			MGIT	LJ	Middlebrook agar	14 days	21 days	28 days	>28 days
Sputum	+	M. tuberculosis	9	19	19	■
Sputum	−	M. tuberculosis	15	35	22		■
Sputum	−	M. tuberculosis	16	27	27		■
Sputum	−	M. tuberculosis	12	26	19	■
Sputum	+	M. tuberculosis	19	56	25		■
Bronchial aspirate	−	M. tuberculosis	17	Neg.	Neg.		■
Lymph node (fine needle aspirate)	−	M. tuberculosis	14	26	19	■
Sputum	+	M. tuberculosis	7	13	13	■
Lung tissue	+	M. tuberculosis	21	26	21		■
Sputum	−	M. tuberculosis	26	19	26		■
Lymph node	+	M. tuberculosis	13	19	26	■
Skin biopsy specimen	+	M. tuberculosis	51	19	Neg.		■
Lymph node	−	M. tuberculosis	9	20	34	■
Tissue (leg)	+	M. bovis	11	Neg.	33	■
Lymph node	−	M. avium	8	25	11	■
Cornea (swab)	−	M. chelonae	7	Neg.	7	■
Contact lens (fluid)	−	M. chelonae	4	Neg.	7	■
Contact lens (fluid)	−	M. chelonae	7	Neg.	7	■
Sputum	−	M. fortuitum	8	18	18	■
Tracheal/bronchial aspirate	−	M. gordonae	19	Neg.	Neg.		■
Sputum	−	M. malmoense	22	Neg.	18		■
Sputum	−	M. peregrinum	28	Neg.	Neg.			■
Sputum	−	M. simiae	Neg.	10	Neg.	■
Sputum	−	M. simiae	10	Neg.	18	■

^aNeg., negative result.