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 Pfyffer, G. E. Articles by Rusch-Gerdes, S. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Pfyffer, G. E. Articles by Rusch-Gerdes, S.

 Previous Article  |  Next Article 

Journal of Clinical Microbiology, Sep 1997, 2229-2234, Vol 35, No. 9
Copyright © 1997 by the American Society for Microbiology. All rights reserved.

Rapid detection of mycobacteria in clinical specimens by using the automated BACTEC 9000 MB system and comparison with radiometric and solid-culture systems

GE Pfyffer, C Cieslak, HM Welscher, P Kissling and S Rusch-Gerdes
Department of Medical Microbiology, Swiss National Center for Mycobacteria, University of Zurich.

Recovery rates of acid-fast bacilli (AFB) and the mean time to their detection from clinical specimens were determined by using the fluorescent BACTEC 9000 MB system. Data were compared to those assessed by the radiometric BACTEC 460 system and by cultivation on solid media. A total of 3,095 specimens were processed with N-acetyl-L-cysteine-NaOH by two laboratories. The contamination rates for the BACTEC 9000 MB system were 6.8% (center 1) and 9.8% (center 2). A total of 451 mycobacterial isolates were detected (Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex, n = 296; nontuberculous mycobacteria [NTM], n = 155). These isolates originated from 94 (20.8%) smear-positive and 357 (79.2%) smear-negative specimens. The BACTEC 9000 MB system was significantly better than solid media (P < 0.05) in detecting AFB, but it was less efficient than the radiometric system (P < 0.01). The BACTEC 9000 MB system plus solid media (combination A) recovered 393 (87.1%) of the isolates, while the BACTEC 460 system plus solid media (combination B) detected 430 (95.3%) of all AFB isolates. Between combination A and B there was no statistically significant difference for the detection of isolates from smear-positive specimens (P > 0.05), in contrast to the recovery of AFB from smear-negative specimens for M. tuberculosis complex, P < 0.05; for NTM, P < 0.01). The mean time to detection of M. tuberculosis complex was 12.2 days for smear-positive specimens and 18.1 days for smear-negative specimens with the BACTEC 9000 MB system; 9.3 and 15.6 days, respectively, with the BACTEC 460 system; and 21.2 and 28.4 days, respectively, with solid media. For NTM, the average detection times were 15.1, 17.3, and 31.3 days by the three methods, respectively. In conclusion, the BACTEC 9000 MB system is a rapid, less labor-intensive detection system which allows for higher levels of recovery of AFB than solid media. There is no risk of cross contamination, which is known to be the case for the BACTEC 460 system, and data management is greatly facilitated. As a whole, however, the BACTEC 9000 MB system should only be used in conjunction with solid media.

This article has been cited by other articles:

• Zheng, X., Pang, M., Engler, H. D., Tanaka, S., Reppun, T. (2001). Rapid Detection of Mycobacterium tuberculosis in Contaminated BACTEC 12B Broth Cultures by Testing with Amplified Mycobacterium Tuberculosis Direct Test. J. Clin. Microbiol. 39: 3718-3720 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Mikhailovich, V., Lapa, S., Gryadunov, D., Sobolev, A., Strizhkov, B., Chernyh, N., Skotnikova, O., Irtuganova, O., Moroz, A., Litvinov, V., Vladimirskii, M., Perelman, M., Chernousova, L., Erokhin, V., Zasedatelev, A., Mirzabekov, A. (2001). Identification of Rifampin-Resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis Strains by Hybridization, PCR, and Ligase Detection Reaction on Oligonucleotide Microchips. J. Clin. Microbiol. 39: 2531-2540 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Piersimoni, C., Scarparo, C., Callegaro, A., Tosi, C. P., Nista, D., Bornigia, S., Scagnelli, M., Rigon, A., Ruggiero, G., Goglio, A. (2001). Comparison of MB/BacT ALERT 3D System with Radiometric BACTEC System and Lowenstein-Jensen Medium for Recovery and Identification of Mycobacteria from Clinical Specimens: a Multicenter Study. J. Clin. Microbiol. 39: 651-657 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Watterson, S A, Drobniewski, F A (2000). Modern laboratory diagnosis of mycobacterial infections. J. Clin. Pathol. 53: 727-732 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Catanzaro, A., Perry, S., Clarridge, J. E., Dunbar, S., Goodnight-White, S., LoBue, P. A., Peter, C., Pfyffer, G. E., Sierra, M. F., Weber, R., Woods, G., Mathews, G., Jonas, V., Smith, K., Della-Latta, P. (2000). The Role of Clinical Suspicion in Evaluating a New Diagnostic Test for Active Tuberculosis: Results of a Multicenter Prospective Trial. JAMA 283: 639-645 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Alcaide, F., Benítez, M. A., Escribà, J. M., Martín, R. (2000). Evaluation of the BACTEC MGIT 960 and the MB/BacT Systems for Recovery of Mycobacteria from Clinical Specimens and for Species Identification by DNA AccuProbe. J. Clin. Microbiol. 38: 398-401 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Tortoli, E., Cichero, P., Piersimoni, C., Simonetti, M. T., Gesu, G., Nista, D. (1999). Use of BACTEC MGIT 960 for Recovery of Mycobacteria from Clinical Specimens: Multicenter Study. J. Clin. Microbiol. 37: 3578-3582 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Roggenkamp, A., Hornef, M. W., Masch, A., Aigner, B., Autenrieth, I. B., Heesemann, J. (1999). Comparison of MB/BacT and BACTEC 460 TB Systems for Recovery of Mycobacteria in a Routine Diagnostic Laboratory. J. Clin. Microbiol. 37: 3711-3712 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Lew, M. A., Graeme-Cook, F. M. (1999). Case 27-1999- An 82-Year-Old Woman with Numerous Chronic Disorders and a Recent Febrile Illness. NEJM 341: 827-834 [Full Text]  
• Brunello, F., Favari, F., Fontana, R. (1999). Comparison of the MB/BacT and BACTEC 460 TB Systems for Recovery of Mycobacteria from Various Clinical Specimens. J. Clin. Microbiol. 37: 1206-1209 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Jacomo, V., Musso, D., Gevaudan, M.-J., Drancourt, M. (1998). Isolation of Blood-Borne Mycobacterium avium by Using the Nonradioactive BACTEC 9000 MB System and Comparison with a Solid-Culture System. J. Clin. Microbiol. 36: 3703-3706 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Rohner, P., Jahn, E. I. M., Ninet, B., Ionati, C., Weber, R., Auckenthaler, R., Pfyffer, G. E. (1998). Rapid Diagnosis of Pulmonary Tuberculosis with the LCx Mycobacterium tuberculosis Assay and Comparison with Conventional Diagnostic Techniques. J. Clin. Microbiol. 36: 3046-3047 [Abstract] [Full Text]