TABLE 1.
Comparison of 0.7% chlorhexidine/MOD9 and 0.7% chlorhexidine/Lowenstein-Jensen protocols for the culture of mycobacteria in 250 clinical specimens
| Parametera | Lowenstein-Jensen medium | MOD9 medium |
|---|---|---|
| Sensitivity (no. identified/total no. [%]) | 32/40 (80) | 38/40 (95) |
| Contamination rate (%) | 4.4 | 1.6 |
| Time to detection of mycobacteria (mean ± SD [range]) (days) | 17.5 ± 6.6 (8–35) | 10.1 ± 4 (4–18)b |
| ZN+ | 13.7 ± 4 (8–25) | 6.5 ± 1.7 (4–9) |
| ZN− | 21.9 ± 6.3 (11–35) | 13.4 ± 3.1 (8–18) |
| Time to detection of M. tuberculosis (mean ± SD [range]) (days) | 18.1 ± 6.3 (10–35) | 10.5 ± 4.2 (5–18)b |
a
ZN+ and ZN−, positive and negative by Ziehl-Neelsen staining, respectively.
b
P < 0.05, Fisher's exact test.