Abstract

MARCANO-VASQUEZ, Mirexia Eva; RAMIREZ, Ilsy Andreína; DA MATA-JARDIN, Omaira Josefina  and  FERNANDEZ-FIGUEIRAS, Sandra. Comparison of BacT/ALERT 3D® system with the culture methods of Lowenstein-Jensen and Ogawa-Kudoh, for the isolation of mycobacteria. Rev. Soc. Ven. Microbiol. [online]. 2016, vol.36, n.1, pp.4-9. ISSN 1315-2556.

Tuberculosis is a disease caused by species of the Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex. The diagnosis is difficult due to nonspecific symptoms and late results of bacteriological culture methods. The aim of this study was to compare the efficiency of the BacT/ALERT® 3D automated system with conventional methods of culture on Lowenstein-Jensen (L-J) and Ogawa-Kudoh (O-K). A total of 266 specimens from patients with clinical suspected tuberculosis were studied from May to October 2013. We recovered, 63 acid fast bacilli isolates: 46 identified as M. tuberculosis and 17 as nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM). The three methods had a similar performance for isolation of M. tuberculosis; recovery rates obtained showed no statistically significant difference (p> 0.05). However, with the BacT/ALERT® 3D system, a larger number of MNT were isolated, with significant statistic difference for L-J (p <0.05). The average detection time for M. tuberculosis was 11 days with the BacT/ALERT® 3D system, with significant statistic difference for LJ (20.4 days) and O-K (23.2 days). Additionally, cross-contamination was determined as 0.38%. The study results showed that the BacT/ALERT® 3D system is an excellent tool for isolation of M. tuberculosis and it improves the recovery of NTM. Also, the time of diagnosis is significantly reduced, leading to earlier treatment that could improve patient recovery.

Keywords : mycobacterias; Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex; BACT / ALERT 3D; solid medium; liquid medium; cultures.

        · abstract in Spanish     · text in Spanish     · Spanish ( pdf )