This Article Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Reprints and Permissions Copyright Information Books from ASM Press MicrobeWorld Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Tarrand, J J Articles by Gröschel, D H Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Tarrand, J J Articles by Gröschel, D H

 Previous Article  |  Next Article 

J Clin Microbiol. 1985 June; 21(6): 941-946

Evaluation of the BACTEC radiometric method for detection of 1% resistant populations of Mycobacterium tuberculosis.

ABSTRACT

BACTEC and conventional methods of antimicrobial susceptibility testing were compared with the use of artificial mixtures of 1% resistant and 99% susceptible Mycobacterium tuberculosis strains. Inocula for the assays were prepared on the basis of radiometric readings. A total of 40 resistant strains were tested: 18 were resistant to isoniazid, 16 to rifampin, 5 to streptomycin, and 1 to ethambutol. The BACTEC method detected 27 of 39 strains at the greater than 0.5% resistance level, whereas the conventional plate method detected only 8 of 40. In addition, the results of the BACTEC assay were closer to the expected 1% resistance level (0.7%) than were the data obtained with the proportional plate method (0.3%; P = 0.001). This difference was most striking with the isoniazid-resistant strains. The precision of the assay methods was quite different (coefficients of variation, 26% for BACTEC and 54% for plates; P = 0.0002). Streptomycin-resistant strains had the highest variability in both assay methods. A 1-day delay in calculating the BACTEC data after the control vial reading was equal to or greater than 30 resulted in a 25% reduction in the calculated level of resistance (0.7 to 0.53). By adhering exactly to the recommended procedures for the BACTEC test method and by using log-phase inocula, this method shows better precision and accuracy at the 1% resistance level than does the proportional plate method.

This article has been cited by other articles:

• Garrigo, M., Aragon, L. M., Alcaide, F., Borrell, S., Cardenosa, E., Galan, J. J., Gonzalez-Martin, J., Martin-Casabona, N., Moreno, C., Salvado, M., Coll, P. (2007). Multicenter Laboratory Evaluation of the MB/BacT Mycobacterium Detection System and the BACTEC MGIT 960 System in Comparison with the BACTEC 460TB System for Susceptibility Testing of Mycobacterium tuberculosis. J. Clin. Microbiol. 45: 1766-1770 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Marsollier, L., Honore, N., Legras, P., Manceau, A. L., Kouakou, H., Carbonnelle, B., Cole, S. T. (2003). Isolation of Three Mycobacterium ulcerans Strains Resistant to Rifampin after Experimental Chemotherapy of Mice. Antimicrob. Agents Chemother. 47: 1228-1232 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Bemer-Melchior, P., Bryskier, A., Drugeon, H. B. (2000). Comparison of the in vitro activities of rifapentine and rifampicin against Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex. J Antimicrob Chemother 46: 571-576 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Mshana, R. N., Tadesse, G., Abate, G., Miörner, H. (1998). Use of 3-(4,5-Dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-Diphenyl Tetrazolium Bromide for Rapid Detection of Rifampin-Resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis. J. Clin. Microbiol. 36: 1214-1219 [Abstract] [Full Text]