TABLE 1.

AFB smear and culture results for 203 clinical samples^a

AR results	NTM isolation	No. of specimens
		Totalb	RGM30	RGM35	MGIT	7H11	AFC
Negative	NTM isolated	48	35	15	25	11	27
	Negative	102	115	135	125	139	123
	Total	150	150	150	150	150	150
Positive	NTM isolated	53	50	48	52	50	52
	Negative	0	3	5	1	3	1
	Total	53	53	53	53	53	53
Grand total		203	203	203	203	203	203

^aAR, auramine rhodamine stain; MGIT, mycobacterial growth indicator tube; 7H11, Middlebrook 7H11 agar. RGM30 and RGM35 are RGM media incubated at 30°C and 35°C, respectively. AFC is a culture method using the MGIT system and Middlebrook 7H11 agar.

^bThe total number of specimens refers to all specimens from which NTM were isolated by a combination of all culture test methods (RGM30, RGM35, the MGIT system, and Middlebrook 7H11 agar).