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Journal of Clinical Microbiology, September 1998, p. 2565-2570, Vol. 36, No. 9
Mycobacteriology Unit, Department of
Microbiology, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerp,
Belgium,1 and
Division of Infectious
Diseases, Hôpital Cantonal, Geneva, Switzerland2
Received 10 March 1998/Returned for modification 30 May
1998/Accepted 10 June 1998
Our studies show that microaerophilic conditions promote
the growth of Mycobacterium genavense in semisolid medium.
The growth of M. genavense at 2.5 or 5% oxygen was
superior to that obtained at 21% oxygen in BACTEC primary
cultures (Middlebrook 7H12, pH 6.0, without additives). By using
nondecontaminated specimens, it was possible to detect growth
with very small inocula (25 bacilli/ml) of 12 different M. genavense strains (from nude mice) within 6 weeks of incubation
under low oxygen tension; conversely, with 21% oxygen, no growth of 8 of 12 (66.7%) M. genavense strains was detected (growth
index, <10). The same beneficial effect of 2.5 or 5% oxygen was
observed in primary cultures of a decontaminated clinical specimen. Low
oxygen tension (2.5 or 5%) is recommended for the primary isolation of
M. genavense. Microaerophilic cultivation of other atypical
mycobacteria, especially slow-growing (e.g., Mycobacterium
avium) and difficult-to-grow (e.g., Mycobacterium ulcerans) species, is discussed.
0095-1137/98/$04.00+0
Copyright © 1998, American Society for Microbiology. All rights reserved.
Microaerophilic Conditions Promote Growth of
Mycobacterium genavense
*
Corresponding author. Mailing address: Institute of
Tropical Medicine, Department of Microbiology, Nationalestraat 155, B-2000 Antwerp, Belgium. Phone: 32 3 247 63 24. Fax: 32 3 247 63 33. E-mail: realini{at}microbiol.itg.be.
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