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. 1969 Nov;18(5):915–917. doi: 10.1128/am.18.5.915-917.1969

Comparison of Methods for Tuberculosis Bacteriology

I Krasnow 1,2, Lawrence G Wayne 1,2
PMCID: PMC378113  PMID: 4984206

Abstract

To improve efficiency of isolation of tubercle bacilli from clinical specimens, the following recommendations are presented. (i) Employ multiple specimens consisting of a combination of morning sputums for the early detection of positives, along with 24-hr sputum pools for the greatest total yield of positives. (ii) When timing is rigorously controlled, Zephiran-trisodium phosphate and sodium hydroxide-acetylcysteine are comparable, but if timing cannot rigidly be controlled, employ the Zephiran-trisodium phosphate digestion procedure to allow the greatest freedom in exposure time with the lowest kill rate to tubercle bacilli. (iii) Employ both an agar medium incubated in 5% CO2, for the early detection of positives as well as positives in the presence of contaminants, and an egg medium, preferably with CO2, to increase the yield of positives.

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Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

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